HISTORY OF 
BASE HOSPITAL NO 





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THE HISTORY OF 
U. S. ARMY BASE HOSPITAL NO. 6 




















































































































Col. Frederic A. Washburn 











The History of 
U. S. Army Base Hospital 
No. 6 

•z-And Its ‘Part in the 
c .American Expeditionary Forces 

I9I7-I918 

/ 

With an Introduction by 
HENRY ALDEN SHAW 

Lately Colonel, Medical Corps, U. S. Army 
Chief Surgeon, Base Section No. 2, A. E. F. 

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Boston, Massachusetts 
! 9 24 




Copyright, 1924, by 
Massachusetts General Hospital 



THOMAS TODD COMPANY 
‘Printer s 

BOSTON • MASSACHUSETTS 


JUN 10 


INTRODUCTION 


B ASE Hospital No. 6, A. E. F., needs no introduction 
to readers of the medical history of the World War. 
One of the first units in America to respond to the 
call of the Allies for medical assistance, it was early established 
in Bordeaux, and under the leadership of its able and distin¬ 
guished director at once became the marker and pattern for 
other similar units that were stationed later in this region which 
formed one of the largest centers of hospital activities of the 
American Forces in France. As Chief Surgeon of Base Sec¬ 
tion No. 2 , it was my privilege and good fortune to become 
intimately associated with this unit and it is particularly from 
this point of view that I wish to speak. 

In the organization of the medical work of the Base Section 
this unit played a most important role, in supplying the first chief 
surgeon, my predecessor, and certain of the personnel of his 
original office force, both commissioned and enlisted. Later 
when the control of communicable diseases became perhaps the 
most important activity of the Chief Surgeon’s Office, the Com¬ 
manding Officer of the hospital generously acquiesced in 
the detail of his laboratory chief, who became head of 
the Epidemiological Service. To this task he brought a 
thorough knowledge of the subject and a broad grasp of the 
situation, so that by his constructive criticism and clear-cut 
recommendations, practical results of the very greatest value 
were attained, results keenly appreciated and acknowledged 
by the Base Commander. 

By such means, and in many other ways, Base Hospital No. 
6 cooperated in the spirit of unselfish devotion and contributed 
in large measure to the success of the medical work of the Base 
Section. 

Henry Alden Shaw, 

Lately ColonelMedical Corps, U. S. Army . 
Chief Surgeon f Base Section No. 2, A. E. FA 


Massachusetts General Hospital, West Surgical House Officer, 1891. 


PREFACE 


I N this volume are collected the essential facts of the 
tour of active duty of U. S. Army Base Hospital No. 6 
in the World War, rosters, chronological outline of orders 
and events, together with the statistical data of patients cared 
for by the unit. 

In addition there are published a series of special articles 
by various members of the unit giving accounts of its organi¬ 
zation, the construction of the hospital at Bordeaux, and of 
the professional service which it rendered. There are in¬ 
cluded, also, stories of certain activities of members of the 
unit while away from the organization on special duty. 

GEORGE CLYMER 
RALPH P. HEARD 
GEORGE A. LELAND 
JAMES H. MEANS 
PAUL D. WHITE 

Editorial Committee . 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

An Outline of the Tour of Duty of Base Hospital 

No. 6 in the World War. . 

The Organization of Red Cross Hospital No. 6, and 
the Early Part of Its Active Service as U. S. Army 

Base Hospital No. 6.22 

Construction and Development.37 

Hospital Construction at Talence.47 

The Nurses’ Point of View.52 

The Chaplain’s Story.58 

The Medical Service.64 

Experience with Four Groups of Medical Patients . 66 

The Laboratory.72 

The X-Ray Department.76 

Neuro-psychiatric Work.78 

Ophthalmological Work.87 

Ear, Nose, and Throat Service.90 

Orthopedic Service ........ 93 

Epidemiological Activities in Base Section No. 2 . . 96 

Agricultural Unit at Base Hospital No. 6 . . . 113 

Activities of Members of Base Hospital No. 6 in England 116 
Activities as Surgeon of Base Section No. 2, Bordeaux 

and the Paris Section.125 

Surgical Team No. i.130 

Surgical Team No. 2.138 

The Scheme of the Special Training Battalion as 

Worked Out at Harchechamp, Vosges, France . 149 

Dermatological Experiences.159 

The Red Cross Dispensary at Paris.161 

The Red Cross Dispensary at Compiegne . . . .163 

vii 









viii Contents 


A Study of Traumatic Shock .... 



PAGE 

167 

Activities of the Surgeon of the Winchester District 
and Commander of Base Hospital No. 204 

171 

Red Cross Work in Poland .... 



174 

From Bordeaux to Poland. 



177 

The Greek Medical Unit. 



l8o 

Official Chronology of Base Hospital No. 6 . 



187 

Statistical Survey of Patients .... 



226 

General Hospital No. 6. 



232 

Appendix A. 



234 

Appendix B. 



235 

ROSTERS: 

Base Hospital No. 6. 



243 

Unit O . 

. 


249 

Additional Personnel Assigned to Duty . 

. 


251 








AN OUTLINE OF THE TOUR OF DUTY OF BASE 
HOSPITAL NO. 6 IN THE WORLD WAR 

Paul D. White 

I N the little town of Talence on the outskirts of Bordeaux 
there lived for a year and a half, during the World War, 
a group of pioneers of the Medical Corps of the American 
Expeditionary Force. This group was composed of the mem¬ 
bers of Base Hospital No. 6, from the Massachusetts General 
Hospital in Boston. Their experiences would need many vol¬ 
umes to record, but the brief story of their life from mobiliza¬ 
tion to demobilization is worth the telling as a page of the 
achievement of the A. E. F. in the victory over Germany. 

The story has its several chapters as the experience of the 
unit had its several phases: the organization and mobilization, 
the journey overseas, the introduction to Talence, the summer 
and fall of 1917, the first winter, the strenuous summer of 
1918, the climax, armistice days, and the return to the U. S. A. 
The story is not complete—it is but a sketch to present our 
life in France in a more readable manner than can the chrono¬ 
logical history and statistical tables to which one may turn for 
precise and detailed information. 

The hospital unit is now past and gone, an item in the 
history of the great war—one of the important contributions 
of the old Massachusetts General Hospital to the nation and 
to the allied cause. We can only hope that if occasion demand 
in the future the hospital may again do its bit as well. The 
story of 1917 and 1918 will always serve for inspiration. 

ORGANIZATION AND MOBILIZATION 

More than a year before the declaration of war against 
Germany, Dr. Frederic A. Washburn (later Commanding 
Officer of Base Hospital No. 6) wrote to General Gorgas, 
then Surgeon-General, asking for an appointment with him 
to discuss the question of the establishment at the large civilian 
institutions of hospital units for army service. With Dr. Win- 
ford Smith, Superintendent of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and 
Col. Jefferson R. Kean, M. C., who had been assigned to 
duty with the Red Cross, Dr. Washburn attended the con¬ 
ference in Washington with the Surgeon-General. It was then 


2 


Base Hospital No. 6 


decided to organize reserve hospital units in the larger hos¬ 
pitals of the country, and Dr. Smith and Dr. Washburn 
were asked to form units at their own institutions. Returning 
to Boston, Dr. Washburn presented before a meeting of the 
Board of Trustees the plan for the organization of the hospital 
unit of the Massachusetts General Hospital. The plan was ac¬ 
cepted. In the spring and summer of 1916, the unit, except for 
the enlisted men, was organized for what proved to be later 
Base Hospital No. 6. It was thought at that time (in the 
early summer of 1916) that the base unit might shortly see 
active service in the trouble prevailing with Mexico. All the 
members were examined and vaccinated against typhoid, and 
supplies were assembled. 

There was little change in the situation during the fall and 
winter of 1916, but as the early spring came on and war with 
Germany threatened more and more, further work was done 
in preparing the unit for duty. Eventually, after declaration 
of war against Germany, the final preparations for the base 
hospital were rushed and supplies were obtained from the 
American Red Cross. The hospital was then organized as a 
Red Cross Unit. After a delay of many days, during which 
the unit was impatiently awaiting instructions, Dr. Paul D. 
White was ordered on active duty on May 24, 1917, to 
enlist the non-commissioned personnel. From May 24 to 
June 1, busy days were spent selecting 150 enlisted men out 
of about 600 volunteers. Hospital orderlies, pharmacists, clerks, 
chauffeurs, cooks, carpenters, plumber, electrician, tailor and 
barber were carefully selected. 

On June 1 the medical detachment proceeded, by order 
of the War Department, to Fort Strong under the charge of 
1st Lieut. Eugene Villaret, C. A. C., who, acting as Company 
Commander, drilled them from that day till July 9. The re¬ 
sults of this drill were remarkable, the rookies adapting them¬ 
selves speedily and well to their new military life. 

On the 29th of May, Maj. Frederic A. Washburn, M. R. C., 
was ordered to active duty as the Commanding Officer 
of Base Hospital No. 6. During the interval between the 
1 st and the 29th of June, the doctors and nurses of the base 
hospital were impatiently awaiting orders for mobilization 
and for embarkation for Europe. Week after week passed. 
Other units were going abroad, the news of which added 
greatly to the impatience of the personnel who had been for 


Outline of the Unit 


3 


more than a year ready to enter upon their duties for the war 
emergency. Finally, on June 29, the nurses received orders 
to proceed to Ellis Island, New York Harbor, where they 
remained until the officers and men joined them, nearly two 
weeks later. 

While the unit was making its final preparations, the 
personnel of officers and nurses was completed; Maj. Richard 
C. Cabot was chief of the medical service, and Maj. Lincoln 
Davis, chief of the surgical service. Captain McAfee, the 
only officer of the regular army with the unit, was appointed 
to duty as adjutant. Captain Bogan was assigned to duty 
with the organization as quartermaster. At the last minute 
a few changes in the personnel of the medical officers were 
necessary, some of the original unit being unable to 
serve and their places taken by substitutes. Miss Sara E. 
Parsons had been from the beginning asked to serve as the 
chief nurse. It was on her shoulders that the responsibility 
for the selection of the nurses lay. As one looks back upon 
the organization and the selection of the personnel of the base 
hospital, one would now make very few changes indeed in 
the unit as it was finally mobilized. The length of time 
during which preparations had been made allowed of a 
careful selection. The original unit contained 28 officers, 1 
Red Cross chaplain, 64 nurses, 6 secretaries, 1 dietitian, and 
153 men of the medical department (see Rosters on page 243). 

A number of amusing and vexatious incidents occurred 
during the mobilization which are now almost completely for¬ 
gotten, but which at the time of great activity played their 
part in the life of the men at Fort Strong and of the doctors 
and nurses in Boston. One of the interesting characters of 
the early history of Base Hospital No. 6 was Hospital Sergeant 
Dunn, an old soldier of many wars. In brief, he had served in 
China, in the Spanish War, with Villa in Mexico, with the 
Canadians in the great war, where he had been wounded, follow¬ 
ing which he had been discharged and pensioned, and now he 
was enlisting again. His military training made him a val¬ 
uable man, although the enlisted personnel did not appreci¬ 
ate as much as the commanding officer, the qualities for which 
he had been selected. Later in his career his failing health 
required a change in his status. 

Those passersby who peered through the wall surrounding 
the grounds of the Massachusetts General Hospital, during 


4 


Base Hospital No. 6 


some of the warm June afternoons in 1917, will probably never 
forget the sight of the drill of the raw recruits—the medical 
officers—conducted by Dr. Washburn. They were indeed 
memorable moments. On Sunday, June 3, 1917, a farewell 
service for the unit was held at Trinity Church in Boston, 
Chaplain Sherrill assisting the Rector clad in his Red Cross 
uniform. 


THE JOURNEY OVERSEAS 

On July 9, 1917, with great secrecy, the officers and men of 
Base Hospital No. 6 left Boston—at least it was supposed to be 
with great secrecy. The men were brought out from Fort Strong 
in the evening and marched quietly to the South Station, where 
previously the officers had by devious underground passages 
eluded the waiting friends and relatives and entered a train 
at the end of the station opposite to which the crowds were 
waiting. The train was heavily curtained. Unfortunately 
for the secrecy of the departure, the arrival of the men was 
discovered by the crowds, who soon rushed to that part of the 
station, and it was with a good many farewells after all that 
the train pulled out for New York. 

Before reaching New York City the unit was detrained 
and embarked on a steamboat which carried it down the 
East River to Ellis Island. There the nurses were taken 
on, and altogether the unit was taken to the dock on the 
Hudson River, where the Steamship Aurania was awaiting 
them. There at the dock over twenty-four hours were spent 
before finally very quietly the Aurania put into the stream and 
headed out to sea. There were no tooting of whistles, cheers, 
or ringing of bells. The only farewells had been a few hand 
waves and calls from some of the early water-front workers as 
they saw the tug boat coming down the East River the morn¬ 
ing before. 

The unit was one of the first group of six base hospitals 
to go overseas. The Aurania sailed at 4.45 p.m., July 11, 
and arrived at Queenstown Harbor, July 21, at 12.35 P - M - 
The day before the arrival at Queenstown Harbor the very 
welcome sight of Destroyer No. 60, which appeared on the star¬ 
board quarter at 3 p.m., cheered the members of the unit, 
uneasy in the submarine zone. After its appearance 
another destroyer came up, and less than two hours after¬ 
wards a supposed submarine was sighted off the port 


Outline of the Unit 


5 


bow. The destroyers rushed over, fired several times, and 
the incident was closed. We never did discover whether there 
actually was a submarine, and if so, whether it had been 
damaged. This adventure shows that we too had our sub¬ 
marine experience, similar, I imagine, to that of nearly all the 
rest of the two million Americans of the A. E. F. 

The next day we put into Queenstown Harbor, where 
we spent the night. Finally, on the 23d of July, we 

reached Liverpool at noon. The Aurania was a very 
good ship and we were sorry later to learn that it had been 
sunk by a submarine in the course of the following year. Ex¬ 
cept for this incident of the torpedo boats and the submarine 
just before we reached Queenstown, the voyage was 
uneventful. The trip was made without convoy. A little 
work was done on board—the men drilled and the 

nurses finger-printed. Directly at noon on the 23d of July, 
the unit was disembarked, put into a special train and carried 
to Southampton. Those few hours were the only time spent 
on English soil by most of the personnel. (Some of the unit later 
were assigned to duty in England.) Captain Mixter and 
eight men of the medical detachment were left in Liverpool 
to look after the hospital supplies. 

The evening of July 23, we boarded the Australian hos¬ 
pital ship Warilda at Southampton, and put out into the 

Sound off Cowes, the Isle of Wight. There we remained 

during the night of July 23, and throughout the day of July 
24. That evening we set sail again for Le Havre, where we 
arrived at 2 A.M. on the 25th of July. That morning, the first 
of our long stay in France, we disembarked from the Warilda. 
Like the Aurania, the Warilda was later sunk by a submarine, 
unfortunately with the loss of many lives of wounded patients. 

For two days the unit “rested” at Le Havre, the officers 
in hotels, the nurses and secretaries at an orphanage, and 
the enlisted men at a British Rest Camp. On the 27th 
a special train left Le Havre at 5 P.M. and started toward 
Paris. Up to that moment no one had any idea as to the 
ultimate destination of our base hospital. As we neared 
Paris we considered with joy the possibility of getting a good 
position near the front, and particularly the possibility of being 
on duty with American troops; but at Versailles we were 
switched off to the south, and the next day, July 28, we arrived 
at Bordeaux at 11.30 A.M. and were informed that we were 


6 Base Hospital No. 6 

to take over a French hospital at Talence, about three miles 
south of Bordeaux. After the first disappointment at the dis¬ 
tance from the front at which the base hospital was to be es¬ 
tablished, everybody got to work to make the establishment 
a success. For the first fortnight most of the officers were 
quartered in hotels in the city. The nurses were sent directly 
to the hospital at Talence, where they learned a little of what 
it means to be a soldier—their months of hardship were be¬ 
ginning. The enlisted men were also sent out to the Lycee. 

INTRODUCTION TO TALENCE 

Talence is a small but rather attractive suburb south of 
Bordeaux on the main road to Spain, close to the old Roman 
Road that led from Bordeaux to Toulouse. All around is 
vineyard country; westward toward the coast are pine forests 
and sand dunes. Here at Talence was the Petit Lycee de 
Talence, an excellent school for the children of the 
neighborhood. At the beginning of the war the French 
had taken over this school and made it into a hospital, called 
Hopital Complementaire No. 25 (see photograph). To the 
original stone buildings the French had added a battery of 
some twenty barrack wards, so that when we arrived at Bor¬ 
deaux there was a capacity of about one thousand beds. Ours 
was the first American organization to enter Bordeaux and 
was one of the very first to be established in what was later 
known as Base Section No. 2. The inhabitants of Bordeaux 
and Talence took a great interest in the unit during its early 
days. The novelty of the American uniform and particularly 
of the campaign hat attracted much attention. 

During the first days when there was an exchange of 
courtesies and ideas between the staff of the French hospital 
and the staff of Base Hospital No. 6, there were held some 
interesting receptions. One of the most pleasant was the 
luncheon given by the staff of the French Hospital No. 25 to 
our unit on the grounds of a chateau near the Lycee of Talence. 
Here many speeches were made, some in broken French 
and some in broken English. Another interesting reception 
was tendered later by the Base Hospital to General Clarac, 
commanding the 18th Region, and to the Medecin-Chef of 
French Hospital No. 25. But in spite of friendly words 
the French were rather reluctant to give up their hospital, 
for they had used it a long time and it had proved sat- 


Enlisted Personnel at Fort Strong 




























































Officers at Fort Strong 

Rear row, standing: Gnllifer, Anb, Leland, Hatch, Means, Ringer, Sherburne, Irving 
Second row, standing: Wright, Merrill, Kinnicutt, Oliver, Clymer, Adams 
Rear row, sitting: Moss, Cabot, Washburn, McAfee, Davis, Mbcter 
Front row, sitting: Vincent, White, Holmes, O’Neil, Clark, Tobey 










Outline of the Unit 


7 


isfactory. At first they wanted to share it with the Ameri¬ 
cans; this was of course out of the question. Finally, on the 
first of September, by order of General Clarac, Director of 
the Service de Sante of the 18th Region, the Medecin-Chef 
of the French Hopital Complementaire No. 25 turned over 
the buildings to Major Washburn for use by the American 
Base Hospital. During the interval between July 28 and 
September 1 the French patients had been gradually evacu¬ 
ated to larger French hospitals in the vicinity, and the Ameri¬ 
cans had taken over one part after another of the hospital, 
cleaning, painting, and remodeling as they went on. 

The hospital as we first viewed it was a very inter¬ 
esting institution, largely because of the types of patients. 
Not only were there many French wounded and sick, but 
also there were a goodly number of Russians, German 
prisoners, Indo-Chinese or Annamites, negro troops (Sene¬ 
galese) and Algerians, and even a few Canadians, who came 
from forestry units in the vicinity. In those early days a 
walk through the grove of the hospital brought one into 
contact with all these different nationalities as they sat around 
convalescing from their various illnesses and wounds. 

On August 21, 1917, about ten days before the hospital 
was officially turned over to the Americans, the first American 
patient was admitted to U. S. Base Hospital No. 6, A. E. F. 
From that time until January 15, 1919, there were nearly 
25,000 patients admitted to the hospital. A diagram of the 
weekly patient population of the hospital during this interval 
is contained in the statistical section. The plan of the French 
Hospital as we found it may be seen facing page 47. 

SUMMER AND FALL OF 1917 

The summer and fall of 1917 were almost entirely taken 
up with the work of cleaning, repairing, construction and 
organization of the new hospital. Many difficulties were en¬ 
countered, the sanitation, lighting, heating and kitchen ar¬ 
rangements of the French proving very primitive and inade¬ 
quate. The task of cleaning, painting, and roofing, and 
construction of the sewer was begun by the original personnel 
of Base Hospital No. 6, unaccustomed though they were to 
such work. They made a good start before the work was 
taken over by Co. C, 18th Engineers, who were assigned to 
duty at the hospital and who proved of very great assistance in 


8 


Base Hospital No. 6 


getting construction under way. From the 8th of September, 
1917, until October, 1918, a few weeks before the armistice, 
construction went on steadily. Scores of buildings were erected. 
An account of the construction is given by Lt. Ralph Heard, 
under whose immediate direction it was carried out. Another 
very important part of the process of getting ready in the 
summer and fall of 1917 consisted in ordering medical sup¬ 
plies, base surgical equipment, trucks, apparatus for the kitchen, 
ambulances, and a thousand and one other things which go 
to make up a large hospital. As originally planned the hos¬ 
pital was to have 500 beds. Speedily this was increased to a 
thousand, and then, during the year that followed, a steady 
increase until at last, at the time of the armistice, there were 
4>3 1 9 patients in the hospital. 

In addition to the main construction and preparation were 
many minor details which at times were diverting and at times 
exasperating. One of the essential arrangements that had 
to be made was the supplying of the hospital with food, ob¬ 
taining milk that could be relied upon at least to a partial 
degree, and the disposition of the garbage. At first, before 
the sewage system had been completed, there was much diffi¬ 
culty and annoyance with the old tank sewage method, which 
required a weekly or bi-weekly visit to the hospital of the 
special tank carts which the French employ to empty cesspools. 
For some obscure reason, Sunday was always selected as the 
time for the arrival of these carts. 

Gradually the American troops began to come into this 
section of France, and along in the late fall and early winter 
of 1917 the American soldier became a fairly familiar sight 
on the streets of Bordeaux. No longer were we stared at by 
the native populace. By the time of the armistice, one year 
later, Base Section No. 2 and Bordeaux in particular were 
swarming with American soldiers. Some of the first arrivals 
were the negro troops and the negro stevedores, who proved 
to be such an essential part of the Service of Supplies for the 
A. E. F. Their chief task of course was the unloading of 
the boats at the docks at Bassens across the river from Bor¬ 
deaux. For months the docks were under construction. And 
finally, in 1918, when they were ready for use, many ships 
came in to the port and Bassens became the chief distributing 
point in France for A. E. F. supplies. Many of our first 
patients were these negro stevedores. 


Outline of the Unit 


9 

On September i, 1917, the hospital was officially taken 
over from the French; on September 5 the Administration 
Building as reconstructed was occupied; on September 8 the 
main construction work was begun; and on September 13, and 
for three weeks thereafter, a complete telephone system was 
installed. 

The first patients were admitted to the hospital on August 
21, 1917. On October 1, 1917, there were 160 patients in 
the hospital and 200 beds. On the last day of the year there 
were 325 patients and 500 beds. The diseases for which they 
were admitted at that time were mostly acute infections: 
measles, scarlet fever, mumps, and lobar pneumonia, especially 
among the stevedores. There were no wounded at that time. 
During the three months of October, November, and Decem¬ 
ber, 1917, 231 surgical operations were performed. In the 
fall, Captain Moss and Captain Kinnicutt established the clini¬ 
cal and bacteriological laboratories, which later in the spring be¬ 
came very active. On Sunday, the 28th day of October, Gen¬ 
eral Pershing visited the hospital unexpectedly. This was 
the first of three visits which he paid to the institution. On 
Christmas Day, 1917, the Red Cross Hut for the enlisted 
personnel was opened for use. This hut proved to be one 
of the life-saving features of the Base Hospital during the 
hard days of 1918. Chaplain Sherrill directed not only the 
church service and the Men’s Club for the enlisted men of 
the unit, but he also acted as postmaster and had charge of 
the library for the Base Hospital. He was one of the busiest 
and most valuable members of the Base Hospital at Talence 
from the very beginning of the work until the very end. 

Various opportunities during the fall were given to mem¬ 
bers of the personnel for observation of conditions elsewhere 
in France. Teams were sent up for two weeks’ stay to the 
British front. This continued until the early spring of 1918. 
Other officers were sent to the hospital at Ris-Orangis, near 
Paris. Every opportunity was given to observe the methods 
of the French and British in the war zone. 

Few changes in the personnel took place, one of the most 
important being the departure of Major McAfee to assume 
the duties of Chief Surgeon in Base Section No. 2. Later he 
was transferred to be Chief Surgeon of the Paris District. 
At the time of the armistice he was a Colonel. Occasionally 
casual officers would be attached, usually for temporary duty 


10 


Base Hospital No. 6 


to the Base Hospital unit, but only a few were kept for the 
duration of the war. 

One of the diversions in the early part of the life of Base 
Hospital No. 6 was to go down to Bordeaux to watch the 
liners come in. A curious crowd of Czechoslovak recruits 
from America, American Red Cross personnel, Y. M. C. A. 
workers, French civilians, and sometimes American soldiers 
appeared at the rail as the ships came in. Some of the unit 
bought or hired bicycles and toured the country during idle 
hours in the summer of 1917. Others tramped through the 
country. There were many old castles to visit—some of 
them dating back to the time of the Black Prince or 
earlier—interesting churches, quaint villages, and famous 
vineyards. Arcachon, a renowned summer resort on the 
coast with excellent bathing, was only forty miles away 
to the west. Everywhere the roads were excellent with 
few hills. One of the most frequented was the old Roman 
Road. All about, the country was beautiful. A few took ad¬ 
vantage of the Golfe Bordelais, a quaint twelve-hole course 
built about an old farmhouse five miles from the hospital. 
During some of the chill wet evenings of the winter, pleasant 
hours were passed in the low ceilinged rooms of such little 
taverns in the neighborhood as that at Gradignan. The wealth 
of the country in its vintages was much appreciated. In the 
summer of 1918 many more of the members of the unit ob¬ 
tained bicycles and a few practice spins by the C. C. C. C. 
(Chateau Crespy Cycle Club) were made until the rush of 
work and the bad weather put a check to them. 

THE FIRST WINTER 

Difficulty in getting supplies, the lack of fuel, the wet raw 
weather of Southern France in the region of Bordeaux, added 
to the depression caused by the reverses of the allies in the 
war, made the first winter a very gloomy one. There was no 
active fighting on the part of the American Forces. There 
was little prospect of the war ending for years, and for a 
good part of the time many of the members of the hospital 
were not very busy. On December 31, 1917, Chateau Crespy 
was opened for use as quarters for the medical officers, and on 
March 1, Chateau de Breuil was obtained as additional quar¬ 
ters for the steadily increasing staff of nurses. The chief 
burden of the first winter was on the medical service, which 


Outline of the Unit 


i i 

at one time with a crippled personnel had to deal with the 
large number of acute infectious diseases, particularly pneu¬ 
monia, among the stevedore troops. 

On January 30, 1918, one hundred beds were set aside 
for French wounded, and later in April the first convoys ar¬ 
rived. On March 13, General Pershing made his second visit 
to the hospital, this time bringing with him Secretary of War 
Baker. During the month of March, 1918, reenforcements 
consisting of 112 enlisted men arrived at Talence. 

On April 1 there were one thousand beds available, and 
there were 574 patients. On April 3 the first large convoy was 
received. American Ambulance Train No. 53 came down to 
Bordeaux with 326 patients for the Base Hospital. These 
patients were chiefly convalescent, some with slight wounds 
received in action. On April 8 a French convoy was received, 
mostly of slightly wounded, 99 in all. 

On April 25 an important event in the history of the 
hospital occurred: a change in commanding officers. Major 
Washburn, who had been the chief of the organization since 
its birth in 1916, was called to England to direct American 
hospitalization in that base section. He was replaced by 
Maj. Warren L. Babcock. Shortly after the departure of 
Major Washburn, Captains Mixter and Means followed, and 
spent the remainder of the war in England assisting Major 
Washburn. 

One of the sad events of the life of Base Hospital No. 6 
in France occurred in the spring of 1918, when one of the 
nurses, Miss Lucy Fletcher, died on May 6, after a prolonged 
illness from meningitis. She was buried in the little grave¬ 
yard at Talence with full military honors. 

In June, 1918, there were 1,800 beds in the hospital and 
864 patients. During the months from January to June in¬ 
clusive, there were 874 surgical operations performed. 

The laboratories were extremely busy during the winter 
and spring, especially in work on meningitis, of which there 
were a number of cases very difficult to treat because of the 
weakness of some of the anti-meningococcus serum. Lieu¬ 
tenant Binger cooperated with Captain Kinnicutt in the work 
on the meningitis cases. Up to the last of June, 117 autopsies 
had been performed in the pathological laboratory. On the 
1st of March the hospital laboratories were made the seat of 
the Base Laboratory of Base Section No. 2. 


12 


Base Hospital No. 6 


During all this time through the winter and spring of 1918, 
construction went ahead satisfactorily and gradually gathered 
momentum, until by the early summer of 1918 the hospital 
had attained a large size. 

Occurrences of interest, aside from those mentioned dur¬ 
ing this interval of six months, were the arrival of the second 
large convoy of 399 patients on the 13th of May, chiefly con¬ 
valescent from slight wounds and gas, and on the same day 
the opening of the Chateau de Beycheville by the Red Cross for 
use as a convalescent officers’ ward of the hospital. This was a 
delightful estate about 40 kilometers down the river and 
overlooking the water, with lawns that sloped down for nearly 
a mile to the bank. Here, during the spring and summer of 
1918, many officers and some of the nurses who were con¬ 
valescent enjoyed the comforts of home. On the 4th of June 
the second French convoy of 80 patients, mostly slightly 
wounded, was received. On June 14 and 19 the third and 
fourth American convoys, with more than a thousand wounded 
and gassed soldiers, came down fresh from the front at 
Chateau-Thierry and Montdidier. Maj. Richard C. Cabot 
returned in the spring from Paris, where he had gone 
in the late fall of 1917 to carry on Red Cross relief work for 
French and Belgian refugees. At the beginning of July 
Dr. Wade Wright also returned. He had been engaged in 
similar work in Paris, and on the front north of Paris. Various 
members of the personnel, officers, nurses, and enlisted men, 
were on detached and temporary duty during this period. 
Notable examples were a surgical team consisting of Captain 
Vincent and First Lieutenant Clark, Misses Robertson, Bar¬ 
ton, and Conrick, who were assigned to duty as a team at the 
front where they remained until after the armistice, and the 
dispatch of Major Davis and Captain Irving to Luneville 
as a surgical team, later transferred to the Italian Front, 
where Major Davis was the Chief Surgeon of the A. E. F. 
in Italy. 

Of very great importance was the arrival in March of 
Unit O, a surgical unit from North Carolina for duty with 
Base Hospital No. 6. This unit remained as an integral part 
of Base Hospital No. 6 until relieved of duty in the middle of 
January, 1919. There were 21 nurses, 11 officers, and 46 men 
belonging to Unit O. They brought invaluable aid to the 
Base Hospital and became warm friends of the northern unit. 


Outline of the Unit 


i3 

One of the features which relieved the monotony of the 
dull routine at Talence was the possibility of attending medical 
research meetings of the American Red Cross in Paris. These 
meetings occurred every month, and to each meeting several 
officers were sent. 

WORK BEGUN IN EARNEST: THE STRENUOUS SUMMER OF 1 9 1 8 

The summer months of 1918, July, August, and September, 
proved to be very active ones for all the officers, nurses, and 
men at Base Hospital No. 6, as they did elsewhere through 
the A. E. F. Americans had at last got into the fighting 
game in earnest; convoys poured steadily in, as may be seen 
in the chronological history. Toward the end of September, 
an epidemic of influenza added its quota of work to the staff 
already overburdened with wounded and gassed soldiers. To 
supplement the insufficient personnel of the hospital, casual 
medical officers were attached for temporary duty. Fifteen 
nurses were obtained from the Chicago Presbyterian Unit of 
Base Hospital No. 15. Their help during the rush was 
invaluable. 

During July there were seven large convoys of American 
patients wounded and gassed; during August there were seven 
more; during September there were four; during October there 
were eight. But in addition to convoys, Base Hospital No. 6 
drew from the camps in the country surrounding Bordeaux 
and Base Section No. 2, and many of the patients therefore 
came in from the surrounding region. However, during the 
summer and fall of 1918 other hospital units arrived in the 
vicinity, notably at Beau Desert, about five miles away, where 
at the time of the armistice a large hospital group was being 
established. These relieved a good deal of local pressure. 

On July 30, General Pershing paid his third visit to the 
hospital and made a short address at the Red Cross Hut, where 
he praised the work of the American soldiers at Chateau- 
Thierry, claiming that they had stopped the German advances; 
he forecast the formation of a complete American Army whose 
operations did soon result in the capture of Saint Mihiel. 
Another important visit during the summer was that, on Au¬ 
gust 8, of General Ireland, the Chief Surgeon of the A. E. F., 
to inspect the hospital. And still a third was the second 
visit of Secretary of War Baker, this time accompanied by 
Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, on September 20. 


14 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Most of the work during the summer related to war 
wounds, and so was surgical. One of the problems, however, 
that early arose was the care and disposition of the gassed 
cases. For these soldiers special wards were set aside and 
special training methods and tests instituted, so that by the 
time of the armistice a very satisfactory routine had been 
developed. In August the first definite cases of influenza 
began to appear. The disease at that time was of short dura¬ 
tion and not very severe. However, there were some cases 
of bronchopneumonia among these early “flu” victims. 

The construction continued through the summer and early 
fall of 1918, and was finally completed a few weeks before 
the armistice. As the work increased and as the battle pro¬ 
gressed, the members of the unit rose to the occasion; the 
esprit of the whole organization was excellent. Everybody 
was willing to work harder than they had ever worked before, 
with excellent cooperation throughout the hospital. One of 
the features of interest during the summer was the estab¬ 
lishment of a school of medicine during July for a large group 
of casual medical officers temporarily attached to Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6. Major Richard C. Cabot directed this summer 
course and the casual medical officers received a good deal of 
benefit, although it added to the work of the original staff of 
the hospital. The schedule of the course for one of the weeks 
is on the opposite page. 

One of the busiest places in the hospital, throughout the 
summer and fall of 1918, was the office of the Disability Board. 
Maj. Richard C. Cabot, Capt. Richard O’Neil, and Lieut. 
John Hodgson began the most active phase of the Board’s 
existence, Major Cabot, Lieutenant Hodgson, and Capt. E. 
Lawrence Oliver terminating it; thousands of cases were seen 
and passed upon. Major Brenizer, the leader of Unit O, 
supervised the surgical service during its busiest times, and 
Capt. Henry Marble, who began service with the unit as 
Registrar, carried on the very important orthopedic work. 
Major Cabot helped to keep up the interest in current 
events and gave much of his time to fortnightly talks at the 
Red Cross Hut throughout the summer. Hundreds of con¬ 
valescent patients as well as the unit members attended these 
talks. 


Outline of the Unit 


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16 Base Hospital No. 6 

Here must be mentioned the valuable work of the Y. M. 
C. A. and later of the American Red Cross in providing 
entertainment for the convalescent patients and for the mem¬ 
bers of the Base Hospital. Movies and concerts came at 
frequent intervals, during the last months of the war every 
night. It was by such entertainment that the wild spirits of the 
doughboy were somewhat held in check. 

Much of the routine work of the hospital—guarding, clean¬ 
ing, kitchen work, and even clerical and medical assistance 
—was carried on by the hundreds of convalescent patients avail¬ 
able. Every day the squads reported for duty from nearly every 
ward, and Lieutenant Glasgow distributed them to their tasks. 
Some worked on the small farm kept by the hospital on an 
adjoining estate. Still others dug graves in the cemetery at 
Talence when the mortality was so high from influenza and 
war wounds. 

On the 4th and on the 14th of July, the French people and 
the American soldiers in and near Bordeaux celebrated Inde¬ 
pendence Day and Bastile Day with a good deal of enthu¬ 
siasm. There were military parades through the city with 
both American and French troops participating. Some of the 
enthusiasm spread to the hospital itself. 

The number of patients in the hospital July 31, 1918, 
was 2,332, and the.number of beds 2,600. During the month 
of J u ty 3> IX 5 patients were admitted, and there were 325 
surgical operations for the month. On the 31st of August 
there were 2,971 patients in the hospital, capacity 2,600 beds 
(the extra 400 being “emergency”) ; during the month of 
August there were 3,165 patients admitted; surgical operations 
673 for the month. On September 30 there were 2,996 pa¬ 
tients in the hospital, with a capacity of 2,750; during the 
month of September 2,330 patients were admitted; 590 sur¬ 
gical operations were performed. 

THE CLIMAX 

The climax of the life of Base Hospital No. 6 was reached 
during the month of October and the first twelve days in 
November. The combination of steadily increasing casualties 
resulting from the terrific offensive in the Argonne Forest 
and the influenza epidemic victims filled the hospital to over¬ 
flowing. During the month of October there were eight con¬ 
voys from the front, nearly all wounded. There were 4,378 


Outline of the Unit 


17 

admissions to the hospital during October; the greatest number 
of patients during the month in the hospital were 4,235 on 
October 28, the normal capacity of the hospital being 3,000; 
582 operations were performed during the month. 

A change occurred in the policy of the Disability Board, 
whereby surgical cases, which formerly were kept in the hos¬ 
pital after operation, were now sent directly to the United 
States. The epidemic of influenza reached its height during 
the first week of October, declining sharply during the second 
week. At the end of the month it was nearly extinct so far 
as concerned cases originating in Base Hospital No. 6 or 
brought to the hospital from the base section. This in fact 
corresponded roughly with the condition of things all over 
Europe and even in America. The cases originating in the 
base hospital unit and accordingly seen early and promptly 
put to bed were, as a rule, mild. The severest cases were 
those in people weakened either by severe hard work or severe 
exposure, or by travel to which they had been subjected on 
the way to the hospital. Sixty-three enlisted men, 18 nurses, and 
8 officers of our own unit were attacked. Unfortunately among 
them there was one death, that of Private 1st Class Allyn M. 
C. Berrie on October 9. He and Miss Fletcher were the 
two members of Base Hospital No. 6 who gave their lives for 
the cause of freedom in France; a third member of the original 
unit, Miss Mary Emery, died of carcinoma in America at the 
Walter Reed Hospital after the armistice. Toward the end 
of October cases of meningitis began to appear, and it was 
found that in the treatment of these cases the serum fur¬ 
nished by the New York State Board of Health and the New 
York City Board of Health was more efficacious than any 
of the other sera. The construction of the hospital was com¬ 
pleted during the month of October, and the isolation barracks 
were finally put into operation. 

On the 12th of November, 1918, there were 4,319 patients 
in the hospital, the normal capacity being 3,000. This number 
was the largest in the hospital at any time. After the 
armistice on the eleventh, patients decreased in number 
very rapidly, so that by December 4 there were but 2,400 
cases in the hospital, a figure a little more than half of that 
three weeks previously. By December 31 it had dropped to 
1,500, many evacuations taking place and very few new convoys 
coming in. During the month of November there were but 


Base Hospital No. 6 


four convoys, the last one coming in on the twelfth and made 
up of 522 patients, wounded on the ninth and tenth, the days 
before the armistice. During December there were but three 
convoys of convalescent patients. A chart, page 227, shows 
graphically the largest patient population in the hospital dur¬ 
ing each month from September, 1917, to December, 1918. 
On examination the chart shows two sharp rises: one in June 
and July, 1918, at the time of Chateau-Thierry, and the other 
in September and October, 1918, the result of the Argonne- 
Meuse offensive. The Saint Mihiel offensive resulted in very 
little increase in the population of the hospital. A few cases 
of influenza entered the hospital even as late as November, 
but they were mostly mild, and few, if any, would have been 
recognizable as influenza except for the fact of an epidemic. 

There was little celebration of the armistice at Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6 until several weeks after, simply because every 
one was so rushed with work that there was no time. But 
quite naturally great relief was felt by every member of the 
unit after the twelfth, when there was a cessation of 
incoming patients severely wounded or sick. The spirit of 
the hospital was excellent at the time the armistice was signed, 
and hard-pressed as every one was, it seems likely that the 
pace could have been maintained and probably increased dur¬ 
ing the next few weeks or months if it had been necessary more 
completely to defeat the Germans. 

ARMISTICE DAYS 

For Base Hospital No. 6 the days after the armistice was 
signed, November 11, until the hospital was relieved of duty 
on the 15 th of January, were days of clearing out the hos¬ 
pital, relief from the strenuous duties of the fighting period, 
and reunion of the original members of the unit as the various 
“teams” returned. The work grew very much lighter, and 
during the last of December and the first of January was so 
light that time began to hang heavily on the hands of the 
members of the unit, as it had done in the early days in France. 
All were restless, and anxious to get away, counting the days 
from that time on until relieved from duty, and orders 
for sailing were received. There was more freedom now 
to get away from the hospital, to go into Bordeaux for 
dinner, and to attend dances and parties at the houses of 
some of the French people with whom they had made friends. 


Outline of the Unit 


19 

It was the first time in over four years that the French families 
had had an opportunity to make merry, and they began with a 
vengeance. 

Christmas Day, 1918, was celebrated with much enthu¬ 
siasm. There was time for special preparation. Every ward 
was prettily decorated. Captain Marble organized an amusing 
pageant which visited nearly every ward, singing and dancing. 
Major Oliver was an ideal Santa Claus. In the evening Lieu¬ 
tenant Colonel Cabot and his able stage fellows performed 
admirably the play “Spreading the News.” It was preceded 
by an amusing curtain raiser, “Food.” The Red Cross Hut 
served for performances such as these as well as affording 
writing, game, and refreshment rooms for the convalescent 
soldiers. 

The members of the teams who had been out for many 
months returned to the station; Colonel Davis and Captain 
Irving from Italy; Major Vincent and Lieutenant Clark from 
the Argonne; Captain Crawford and Captain Leinbach also 
came back from duty at the front. And finally, at the end of 
January, Colonel Washburn himself paid a visit to the hospital. 
Unfortunately he was not able to return with the unit, for he 
still had duties in England which kept him from rejoining the 
group. Various nurses and men who had been on detached 
duty also came back, preparatory to returning home to America. 

During November 446 operations were performed and 
2,745 new cases were admitted to the hospital. During 
December, 2,114 new cases were admitted, but there were 
only 72 operations performed. On 17,466 cases in the sur¬ 
gical service up to the end of December, 1918, 3,442 opera¬ 
tions had been performed. The outstanding feature, medi¬ 
cally, during November and December was the absence 
of any considerable number of exanthemata. In the 
wards for the corresponding time in 1917 there were many 
cases of scarlet fever, measles, and mumps. Also, there was 
no large epidemic of pneumonia after the influenza had stopped. 
On the other hand, cases of typhoid fever _ appeared 
toward the end of November. Much of the activity during 
November and December consisted in evacuation of patients 
to transports for return to the U. S. A. 

The decrease in number of patients during December was 
slowed up because of the accumulation of unevacuated patients. 
The “A” cases, that is, those fit to return to full active duty, 


20 


Base Hospital No. 6 


were gathered into companies and segregated into separate 
wards without nurses or orderlies. In these casual camps 
the men were not treated as patients, so that although the 
roster of the hospital indicates a large number of cases still 
remaining on December 31, there were but few really sick. 
In January there were two incoming convoys during the first 
few days. 

On January 3, 1919, the personnel of U. S. Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 208 arrived at Talence, prepared to replace Base 
Hospital No. 6. On January 14 the transfer took place, and 
patients, records, and property were turned over. On this day 
Base Hospital No. 6, A. E. F., ceased to exist as an active or¬ 
ganization. The buildings so laboriously erected by Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6 were eventually taken over by the French, and 
should serve as a suitable military hospital for the 18th Dis¬ 
trict. Their eventual fate we cannot prophesy, but their con¬ 
struction was so solid that they should be of service for many 
years. On January 7, the personnel of Unit Q arrived at 
Talence, preparatory to replacing Unit O. This transfer from 
Unit O to Unit Q also took place on January 14. 

During the latter part of the month, after the relief from 
duty had taken place, some of the members of our unit 
made plans for continuing work in Europe, some to 
remain on duty with Base Hospital No. 208, some to work 
with the Red Cross in France and Italy. One group of five 
medical officers on the 30th of January left Talence, was de¬ 
mobilized on January 31 at St. Aignan, and on the first of 
February joined the Balkan Commission of the American Red 
Cross in Paris for service in Macedonia. The next six months 
they were detailed to duty in the Balkans, their chief task 
being cooperation with the Greek Army in the typhus epidemic 
in Macedonia. This group consisted of Captains Crawford 
and White, and Lieutenants Clark, Binger, and Hodgson. 

One of the projected enlargements of Base Hospital No. 
6, brought to a sudden stop by the armistice, was the establish¬ 
ment of a large supplementary hospital in Bordeaux. It was 
to have been called Base Hospital No. 220 and was to have 
been commanded by Capt. G. A. Leland, Jr. In fact, on 
the 7th of November, 1918, Captain Leland was relieved 
from duty at Base Hospital No. 6 and appointed commanding 
officer at Base Hospital No. 220; on December 7 he returned 
to duty at Base Hospital No. 6, having been relieved of duty 


Outline of the Unit 


21 


as commanding officer at Base Hospital No. 220. Since the 
departure of Captain Means to England in May, 1918, Cap¬ 
tain Leland had been adjutant of Base Hospital No. 6. He 
finished his duties with the unit in this capacity. 

THE RETURN TO THE U. S. A. 

The month of February was largely taken up with prepara¬ 
tions for return. Every one packed, said farewell to French 
friends, and asked daily for news of sailing orders. Finally, 
on the 14th of February the orders were received for the 
return to the U. S. A. of the nurses and most of the officers 
on the transport Abangarez. But the enlisted men, 
the Commanding Officer, Colonel Davis, the Adjutant, Cap¬ 
tain Leland, the Company Commander, Lieutenant Roundy, 
and a few others stayed on for a short time longer. Their 
sailing from France was on March 12. The return of both 
groups of the unit was uneventful, in spite of rough weather. 
At New York orders were received for transportation to Camp 
Devens; there in March, 1919, the members of Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6 were mustered out of service, after nearly two 
years of active duty as a part of the A. E. F. 

Not a few of us will want, after a few years, to make 
a pilgrimage back to the old Lycee at Talence, to walk its 
long corridors and climb its stairs again, to stroll through 
the grove, to peep into the Chateaux Crespy and De Breuil 
in the leisurely days of peace—yes, even if we have to walk 
out from St. Genes. Perhaps we will hear the classes going 
on in the Lycee—what a contrast to the stern days of the fall 
of 1918, when the classrooms were full of the groans of the 
wounded and the delirium of those dying of influenza! 


THE ORGANIZATION OF RED CROSS HOSPITAL 
NO. 6 AND THE EARLY PART OF ITS ACTIVE 
SERVICE AS U. S. ARMY BASE HOSPITAL NO. 6 

Frederic A. Washburn 

I T is the consensus of medical opinion in the American 
Expeditionary Forces that the base hospitals organized 
under Red Cross auspices, and called into active service 
with the army after the declaration of war, have been of the 
utmost value to the Medical Department. This opinion I have 
heard voiced by Major General Ireland, Surgeon General U. S. 
Army, Brigadier Generals Winter, Kean, Glennon, and 
McCaw, and many others. 

To one who saw the military hospitals in the Spanish War, 
the contrast was startling and impressive. In 1898 hospitals 
were hastily organized with inadequate previous study of the 
suitability of the individuals for the duty to which they were 
assigned. Many of the staff, nurses and enlisted men, were 
strangers and so lacked the confidence in one another 
and knowledge of each other’s capacity and methods 
so necessary for team work. In 1917, on the contrary, 
hospitals for war service had been organized in time 
of peace under the auspices of the American Red Cross. The 
major part of these Red Cross Base Hospitals had as parent 
institutions successful civil hospitals. The plan adopted was for 
the Surgeon General, or the Bureau of the Red Cross having 
this matter in charge, to invite a civil hospital to organize a Red 
Cross Base Hospital. Some one physician connected with the 
hospital was chosen Director and made responsible for the 
selection and organization of the unit. This Director might 
be chief of medical or surgical service or commanding officer, 
as in the case of Base Hospital No. 6. 

Over a year before the United States declared war upon 
Germany, I wrote to General Gorgas, then Surgeon General, 
asking for an appointment with him to discuss the question 
of reserve hospitals at our civilian institutions. This was a 
matter of which I had long thought. I arranged with Dr. 
Winford Smith, the Superintendent of Johns Hopkins, to go 
with me to this conference. Before I left Boston for this 
purpose, Col. Jefferson R. Kean, M. C., then assigned to 

22 


Organization and Early Activities 23 

duty with the Red Cross, paid me a visit at the hospital and 
told me that he was trying to form reserve hospitals connected 
with medical schools and universities. He gave the credit 
of pushing this idea to Dr. George W. Crile of Cleveland, 
who had recently published an article on the subject. It is 
probably true that like many new things of importance, the 
thoughts of a number of men were turning to the same idea 
at about the same time. Colonel Crile is entitled to praise 
for first publicly calling attention to the possibilities. Colonel 
Kean was at that time discussing the matter with the authori¬ 
ties of Harvard University. As we were proposing to organize 
hospitals, I was very clear in my mind that hospitals were the 
proper parent institutions. Also, inasmuch as there were more 
hospitals than universities, it seemed clear that we could or¬ 
ganize many more by building them around hospitals. For 
these reasons my suggestion was that, instead of one unit in 
Boston formed around Harvard University, there be at least 
three formed, one each at the Boston City Hospital, the Peter 
Bent Brigham Hospital, and the Massachusetts General Hos¬ 
pital. 

At the conference in General Gorgas’s office in Washington 
were present the Surgeon General, Col. Jefferson R. Kean, 
Dr. Winford Smith, and myself. After a full discussion of 
the subject, the decision was reached to have both hospitals 
and medical schools act as mother institutions, and Dr. Win- 
ford Smith and I were asked to form units at our respective 
institutions, namely, the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the 
Massachusetts General Hospital. 

Upon my return to Boston, I placed the matter of the 
Surgeon General’s request before the Trustees at a Board 
meeting. The Trustees acquiesced in the formation of the 
Base Hospital with the understanding that it would involve no 
expense to the Massachusetts General Hospital. This vote 
was passed on March 17, 1916. 

As Director, I took up the matter of the choice of Chief 
of the Medical Service with the Medical Executive Com¬ 
mittee, and of the Chief of the Surgical Service with the 
Surgical Executive Committee. Dr. Richard C. Cabot agreed 
to serve in the former, and Dr. Lincoln Davis in the latter 
capacity. These gentlemen selected their medical and surgical 
staffs in conference with the Director. 

Bishop Lawrence recommended our Chaplain, Henry K. 


24 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Sherrill. Our Pathologist, Dr. Roger Kinnicutt, and our Bac¬ 
teriologist, Dr. William L. Moss, were selected after con¬ 
ference with the Massachusetts General Hospital Pathologist 
and others of the Hospital Staff having knowledge of their 
professional ability. The Roentgenologist, Doctor Merrill, 
was taken from the Massachusetts General Hospital X-Ray 
Staff. The Neurologist, Dermatologist, Ophthalmologist, and 
Laryngologist were selected from our Staff or that of the 
Massachusetts Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary. The offi¬ 
cers were commissioned in the Medical Officers Reserve Corps. 

Miss Sara E. Parsons, Superintendent of Nurses, Massa¬ 
chusetts General Hospital, was selected as Chief Nurse. She 
was given a free hand in the choice of nurses, who were nearly 
all graduates of the Massachusetts General Hospital. The 
nurses were enrolled as American Red Cross nurses and 
pledged to accept appointment in the Army Nurse Corps, if 
the unit was called into active service. A certain number of 
male nurses and mechanics were pledged to enlist. It was, 
however, not found possible to do much with men who were 
to enlist until the actual enlistment into active service was 
authorized. 

Money for the equipment of a 500, bed hospital was 
raised by the local Red Cross and the necessary purchases 
were made by Lieut. Col. J. C. R. Peabody. This property was 
stored in Boston, ready for use when needed. The Ladies’ 
Visiting Committee of the Hospital presented the unit with 
a fund of $5,000 and further gifts of money were made by 
Mrs. Charles G. Weld, Hospital Social Service Workers, and 
others. The Boston Metropolitan Chapter of the Red Cross 
sent us a sum of money monthly. Mrs. Nathaniel Thayer 
presented a silk national flag, and the local Red Cross Society 
a Red Cross flag. 

I was ordered to active duty as Commanding Officer on 
May 28, 1917. Enlistments were made in May and June. 
Lieutenant Villaret, C. A. C., U. S. Army, was designated 
as drill officer, Lieutenant Means as medical officer, and 
the detachment went into camp at Fort Strong, Boston Har¬ 
bor, where it was equipped, drilled, and instructed. Capt. Larry 
B. McAfee, M. C., U. S. Army, joined as Adjutant early in 
July. The nurses were mustered into the Reserve Nurses 
Corps and were sent to Ellis Island, New York Harbor, to be 
equipped and await transportation to France. The women 




Maj. Lincoln Davis on Board the 

A urania 


Enlisted Personnel under Canvas 
at Fort Strong 



Miss Sara E. Parsons, 
Chief Nurse 







Officers on Board the 

A urania 



Enlisted Men on Board the 

Aurania 










Organization and Early Activities 25 

civilian secretaries were also equipped and assembled at Ellis 
Island. The rest of the officers, except Lieut. P. D. White, 
who had enlisted the company in ]May, were not ordered to 
active service until July 3, just before the unit left Fort Strong. 

# On June 3 services were held in Trinity Church for the 
unit. These were conducted by Bishop Lawrence, Dr. Mann, 
and Rev. Henry K. Sherrill, who was to become our Chaplain.’ 
Although we were impatient to sail for Europe, nevertheless 
the six weeks devoted to drill and training proved to be of 
great value to us later. When we finally started, our men bore 
some resemblance to soldiers. 

On July 9 officers and men left Fort Strong by boat, 
landed at Long Wharf and marched to the South Station, 
Boston. They then went by train to New York and on board 
the Cunard Liner Aurania, under provisions of Confidential 
Orders from the War Department. Thl nurses and women 
civilians joined us on board ship. 

We sailed from New York on July 11, 1917, 29 officers, 
71 nurses and secretaries, 153 enlisted men of Base Hospital 
No. 6, and 40 enlisted men of Base Hospital No. 5. We had 
the only military organization on board. There were two 
regular officers as passengers and a number of men who were 
going to join the American Ambulance Corps in France. 
The Aurania was a new ship, this being her second or third 
voyage. She was later torpedoed and lost, I think in the 
fall of 1917. Captain Miller, who commanded the ship, was 
a very agreeable and able officer. When I parted from him 
at Liverpool, I asked him to let me know sometime in the 
future how the conduct of our organization compared with 
that of others which he had carried. He met me on the 
wharf at New York when I returned in April, 1919; he had 
remembered my request and told me that of all the troops he 
had carried during the war, Base Hospital No. 6 was the 
best disciplined, that it kept its quarters the cleanest and gave 
the least trouble. 

During the trip across we had boat drills daily, and as we 
approached the torpedo zone we went through the usual for¬ 
mula of wearing our life belts and not showing lights after 
dark. The officers and men of the crew of the Aurania were 
all men from Cunarders which had been torpedoed and lost. 
Captain Miller was low man, he had been torpedoed but once. 
The chief engineer had been on the Lusitania and had spent 


2 6 


Base Hospital No. 6 


many hours in the water. On July 20, at 3 P.M., the American 
Destroyer No. 60 was sighted. At 5 P.M. a German sub¬ 
marine was seen on the surface, from the bridge, about 10,000 
yards away. The destroyer made for her and fired five shots, 
but she submerged and was seen no more. 

We entered Queenstown Harbor July 21, as the port of 
Liverpool was closed. The enemy submarines were reported 
to have been laying mines off the harbor. 

The next day at eleven in the morning, accompanied by 
two destroyers and the Belgic, we left Queenstown for Liver¬ 
pool. 

We reached Liverpool at noon, July 23, and immediately 
entrained for Southampton. Capt. W. J. Mixter and seven 
men were left behind to follow us with the freight. We 
reached Southampton at 10 P.M., went on board the Ambu¬ 
lance Ship JVarilda, Major Milne, Commanding Officer, and 
Captain Walker, Adjutant. The Harper Hospital Unit from 
Detroit, Base Hospital No. 17, Captain Coburn commanding, 
also came aboard the JVarilda. General Balfour, Com¬ 
mandant of the port of Southampton, called upon us. Some 
of us later knew him better, and had the opportunity to 
study and admire the wonderful piece of transportation 
machinery he organized at Southampton. 

July 24 we dropped down the river and anchored off the 
Royal Cowes Yacht Club, Isle of Wight. We crossed to 
Havre that night, reaching there at 2.30 A.M., July 25. The 
officers went to hotels, the nurses to L’Hopital Jeanne d’Arc. 
The men under Captains Holmes and Marble, and Lieu¬ 
tenants Clymer and Means proceeded to Dock Rest Camp 
No. 2. 

The Commanding Officer received the most polite tele¬ 
gram of which there is any record in our army experience. It 
was from the French Army Headquarters in Paris and inquired 
when we would like to go to our station. 

It developed that we were destined for Talence, a suburb 
of Bordeaux. Major Davis was sent ahead to prepare the 
way for us, and on July 27, at 5 P.M., a special train with 
five coaches for the men, three and one-half for the nurses and 
one and one-half for the staff, was loaded and went to Bordeaux 
by way of Versailles and the Midi Railroad. We reached 
Bordeaux on July 28, and were met at the station by Major 
Davis, the Sous Directeur de Sante, and other French officers. 


Organization and Early Activities 27 

It proved that we were to take over a part of a French Hos¬ 
pital known as L’Hopital Complementaire No. 25. The men 
and nurses went there immediately and were quartered in 
wards. The officers went to the various hotels in Bordeaux. 

On July 29 the officers of this hospital gave a luncheon to 
the officers of Base Hospital No. 6, on the grounds of a nearby 
chateau. 

The nucleus of this French military hospital was Le Petit 
Lycee de Talence, a boys’ academy. The French had built 
a number of small one-story pavilion wards in connection with 
the Lycee building, and had also erected an operating building. 
The place was lighted by electricity. There was a very 
limited water supply. The disposal of waste was very primi¬ 
tive, a series of cesspools and an overflow from the laundry 
and kitchens and other wastes into an open brook on the 
next estate, all of which was very foul and malodorous. The 
Medecin-Chef, Lieutenant Colonel DuMaigny, planned that 
we should handle one-half of the hospital and that the French 
would handle the other half, and that all would be under his 
command. This seemed an impossible scheme, and I so repre¬ 
sented it to Brigadier General Blatchford when he visited us 
on August 6. General Blatchford was then in command of the 
Lines of Communication, and Col. Francis A. Winter was his 
Chief Surgeon. On a trip to Paris, on August 1, I visited the 
office of the Chief Surgeon, A. E. F., Colonel Bradley, then 
at the Hotel St. Anne. There I saw Colonels Bradley and 
Ireland, who agreed to approve my recommendation that the 
whole hospital should be turned over to the Americans. I 
was also given authority at that time by the Chief Quarter¬ 
master, Colonel McCarthy, to hire chateaux and buy necessary 
materials. 

In the presence of General Blatchford, Colonel Trilhes of 
the French Service, and liaison officer between us and the 
French, served orders in writing upon Colonel DuMaigny to 
evacuate the hospital and turn it over to us. Colonel Trilhes, 
whose death we were to bemoan a little later, was a very 
efficient officer and a warm friend of the Americans. Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6 had many things for which to thank him. General 
Quinquandon, Commanding Officer of the department, was 
always agreeable and helpful. I cannot speak too highly in 
praise of the ability and warm friendship of General Clarac, 
Chef de la Service de Sante. 


28 


Base Hospital No. 6 


We were the first American troops at Bordeaux. The only 
Americans preceding us were a small detachment of the Navy, 
Captain Patten, U. S. N., in charge. Our officers and men 
were fully aware of the importance of making a good im¬ 
pression upon the French, as the first representatives in Bor¬ 
deaux of the great host which was to follow. I am proud to 
say that the detachment behaved well and presented a good 
appearance in those early days. 

On the evening of August io the officers of our unit gave a 
dinner to the French officers, headed by Lieutenant Colonel 
DuMaigny, who were about to leave their hospital. We had 
as guests Brigadier General Clarac, Captain Patten, U. S. N., 
and Mr. Bucklin, the American Consul. 

From the first we functioned as a hospital. We prepared 
a few wards and gradually added to them as our cleaning and 
painting progressed, but it was a long, slow process to get the 
hospital in shape. It seemed an interminable time before we 
got all the French out. Much time was spent in bargaining for 
adjoining land and buildings. We started the work of making 
the hospital with our own people. My diary shows that 
O’Neil was in charge of policing the grounds; Clark, building 
latrines; Leland, painting; Aub, screening; Binger, meeting 
vessels; White, installing dispensary; Irving, shower baths; 
Moss, fire protection; Mixter, exterminating vermin and in 
charge of Operating Building in Davis’s absence. 

On August 23, Major Davis, Captains Adams and Vincent 
were ordered to Ris-Orangis, on temporary duty. 

We were at work on plans for a new kitchen and dining 
rooms, for sewer and new local drains, new plumbing and a 
heating plant for the part of the hospital which used the 
central heating. 

About the last of August, Maj. Larry B. McAfee was 
made Surgeon to Base Section No. 2, and Lieutenant Means 
succeeded Major McAfee as Adjutant, Base Hospital No. 6. 

On September 4, Colonel DuMaigny definitely turned over 
the hospital to us, and all of the French had left with the 
exception of two or three small families of the faculty of the 
Lycee, who still lived in the main building. German prisoners 
were working for us. 

Early in September, Company C of the 18th Engineers 
came to the hospital, was quartered in the Lycee Building, and 
went to work on our construction. 


Organization and Early Activities 


29 

On September 17 we staked out our new kitchen and dining 
rooms. It was very difficult to place our buildings because 
the French were so careful of their trees. About this date 
we finally got rid of the families of the professors for a con¬ 
sideration paid by the United States Government. 

Colonel Winter visited us on September 18. 

Late in September we finally secured the neighboring Colin 
estate, which made it possible for us to build new wards and 
gave us the chateau for officers’ quarters. 

On September 28, Captains Vincent and Merrill, Lieu¬ 
tenant Aub, three nurses and two orderlies went to Le Berquet 
for duty with the French, and Captain Moss went to Limoges 
on temporary duty to prepare the way for a base hospital 
unit to be situated there. 

The location of our Red Cross Hut was settled at this time, 
and we were ordered to give up our Post Canteen. 

My diary at this time speaks of the difficulty of getting 
the Engineers to start their larger task of construction. I 
protested in writing and verbally to Colonel Kavanaugh, then 
commanding the Base Section, but received small satisfaction. 

Major Cabot and Lieutenant Clark came back from two 
weeks at the British front. 

On October 7, Captain Craigin, of the Engineers, at last 
received authority to order his material. The large stoves, 
long since ordered from the Quartermaster, did not come. 
Captain Vincent and his team were reported at Soissons. Lieu¬ 
tenant Means went to Bazoilles, Chaumont, and Dijon. Miss 
Parsons went to a Conference of Chief Nurses at Paris. 

October 16, Ether Day, Major Cabot made an address 
to the officers, nurses, and soldiers in one of the wards. In 
the evening the officers dined at the Hotel Bayonne. 

On October 26, General Blatchford inspected and seemed 
satisfied with the progress made. I was not. Captain Allison, 
of the St. Louis Unit, visited the hospital. Captain Adams 
left us in company with Captain Allison to visit Tours and 
Lyons on orthopedic and reconstruction work. Major Cabot 
left us to go to Paris on refugee work. Bishop Williams 
visited us. 

On October 28, General Pershing inspected and seemed 
pleased with what he saw. 

Early in November a letter was received from Colonel 
Winter saying that General Blatchford was much pleased with 


30 


Base Hospital No. 6 


the progress of the hospital. This was published to the Com¬ 
mand. A note entered on November 2 shows that the kitchen 
and dining rooms were being framed. The part of the work 
which was to be done by the French engineers, the erection 
of new wards, isolation wards, barracks and nurses’ quarters, 
proceeded very slowly. It takes infinite time to get the French 
going; first to get the plans drawn, then to get the contracts 
let, and finally to get the work started and carried to comple¬ 
tion. Our sewer was progressing fairly well, being built by 
Company C of the 18th Engineers. The plumbing contract 
was let on November 2, and the Chateau Crespy was turned 
over to us for use as officers’ quarters. Construction, cleaning, 
painting, installation of stoves and plumbing, were all pro¬ 
ceeding in every direction. Lieutenant Heard was a valuable 
assistant, first as draftsman, then as inspector of construction. 
The French contractors really arrived to start their part of 
the construction in the middle of November. 

On Thanksgiving Day the men and patients had an excel¬ 
lent dinner, both served by the nurses. The officers’ and nurses’ 
dinners also were good. 

On December 2, I sent plans to the Chief Surgeon, 
A. E. F., for twelve more wards. The French contractors 
were very slow. The main sewer was laid and the septic tank 
begun. At this time we had 215 patients. We had some 
cerebro-spinal meningitis. Many of the unit were sick with 
colds. 

We were visited during this autumn by Majors Gold- 
thwaite, Mosher, and Osgood, on visits of inspection con¬ 
nected with their specialties; and by Drs. Crockett and Lord, 
who were inspecting American hospitals in behalf of the Red 
Cross. 

On December 16, Captain Graham was placed in charge 
of construction at our Base Hospital, and Captain Cook was 
placed in charge of all construction for the Base Section. These 
men were Engineer Officers and both were energetic. There 
was good promise of more rapid progress. 

Company C of the 18th Railway Engineers left on the 
10th of December. 

My diary says that “since we have been in Bordeaux there 
have been six different base commanders and three different 
generals in command of the Lines of Communication.” 

A note of January 13, 1918, states that we were caring 


Organization and Early Activities 31 

for four hundred patients, many very sick, pneumonia and 
a number of cerebro-spinal meningitis cases. The construc¬ 
tion progressed slowly now that the French Engineers were 
held up by cold weather, and also because of the difficulty 
in getting the French Government to let go of the needed 
material. Captain Dautet, now in charge, was much more 
interested and energetic than was his predecessor. The work 
under the American Engineers was delayed by lack of trans¬ 
portation and material. “Today succeeded in getting two 
trucks for the use of the American Engineers only, assigned 
definitely to the use of this hospital. . . . We have met all 
the demands made upon us so far and I believe we can con¬ 
tinue to do so provided we can get our sewer connections 
pretty soon.” 

At about this time Miss Lucy Fletcher, one of our nurses, 
and a graduate of the Massachusetts General Hospital, was 
taken ill with cerebro-spinal meningitis, from which she died 
after a lingering illness. Miss Mary F. Emery, another gradu¬ 
ate of our hospital, was operated for cancer of the stomach. 
She recovered from the immediate operation, but was sent 
home to the United States, where she died in an army hos¬ 
pital. These were the only fatalities amongst our nurses dur¬ 
ing their service in the army. We were fortunate enough to 
lose none of our officers. One enlisted man of the original 
unit died in the service, Pvt. Allyn M. C. Berrie. 

Our medical officers, two at a time, had been ordered to 
the British and French fronts for observation of the methods 
of handling the wounded. On February 5 it was my turn 
to have this experience. On that day I journeyed to Paris, 
and on February 6, attended the Clinic of Professor Tuffier, 
and in the afternoon listened to a paper by Professor DuPage. 
Called on Col. Jefferson R. Kean at his office. He was now 
in command of what had been the American Ambulance Corps. 
This was taken over by our army for service with the French. 
Lieut. Col. Percy Jones was the second in command. Colonel 
Jones later succeeded Colonel Kean in command of this or¬ 
ganization. In the evening I went to a formal dinner of 
the Directors of Base Hospitals, at the Hotel Crillon. Gen¬ 
eral Bradley was present, and among others were Doctors 
Finney, Brewer, Poole, Crile, Hutchinson, Murphy, Blake, 
and Keller. 

On February 7, visited Major Babcock, who was in com¬ 
mand of the Officers’ Hospital, fitted by Mrs. Whitelaw Reid. 


Base Hospital No. 6 


32 

This was in a studio building, used in time of peace for 
American girl art students in Paris. I spent the afternoon at 
American Military Red Cross Hospital No. 1, over which I 
was shown by Major Hutchinson. Dined that evening with 
Colonel Kean and Lieut. Col. Percy Jones at their quarters. 

Took the train for Camier the next morning. On the 
train was Maj. George Derby, of the staff of the Massachu¬ 
setts Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary, on his way back to 
Base Hospital No. 5 at Boulogne. Reached Camier in the 
afternoon and reported to Colonel Collins of the Regular 
Medical Corps, in command of Base Hospital No. 18, serv¬ 
ing there with the British. The quarters assigned me were 
a tent, with no possibilities of heating it. Lieut. Col. Hugh 
Cabot, in command of British General Hospital No. 22, a 
short distance up the road, offered me the use of one of his 
small portable huts, which he had brought from America for 
officers’ quarters. I understood that this hut was built in 
Braintree for a chicken coop. It was almost large enough 
for me, and I passed a very comfortable night. 

Major Cooper, in command of the Base Hospital at 
Savenay, and Major Tasker, in command of the Base Hos¬ 
pital from the New York Hospital at Chateauroux, were my 
associates on this trip. We spent the morning of February 9 
with Colonel Cabot. His hospital was neat and everything 
appeared business-like. I saw a number of Massachusetts 
General Hospital men who were on his staff and a good many 
Massachusetts nurses, among them Miss Stevens, who was 
assistant to the head nurse. In the afternoon we went to 
Etaples and visited a large British Convalescent Camp. It 
seemed to be admirably handled and very useful. 

On February io, went to Boulogne. Found Base Hospi¬ 
tal No. 5 (Peter Bent Brigham and Harvard Medical Unit) 
established in the Casino, Maj. Roger I. Lee in command. 
The whole of this unit was so distinctly a Boston crowd, and 
so many of them were connected with the Massachusetts 
General Hospital and the Eye and Ear Infirmary, that I felt 
very much that I was in the hands of friends. They were 
running an excellent hospital and had a good spirit. While 
in Boulogne I went through the British Gas School. 

On February 12 we left for Hazebrouck by way of Calais. 
There were several regular medical officers with me, men who 
were in command of base hospitals. At Hazebrouck we were 
split up, and Major Tasker and I were assigned to Casualty 


Organization and Early Activities 


33 


Clearing Station No. 2. This casualty clearing station was 
about two miles from Bailleul and commanded by Colonel 
Leek, a regular of the British Army Medical Corps. The 
station had for shelter Nissen huts and tents. I was given 
for quarters, one-quarter of a Nissen barrack, which was 
divided by burlap into four rooms; perfectly comfortable. 
It was a very quiet time on this front and the casualty clear¬ 
ing station consequently was not very busy. Colonel Leek 
was very courteous and explained to us in great detail the 
British methods of handling wounded. 

On February 15, Major Chapman, R. A. M. C., an Aus¬ 
tralian attached to Corps Headquarters, took us by automobile 
to the British front. We went first to an advanced dressing 
station lying about three and a half miles to the northeast 
of Ypres. Here we found Major Brown in command. His 
station was a building at a cross roads, of which nothing 
remained but the cellar. The first floor was piled high 
with sandbags. There were in addition subterranean 
excavations. Here was a mess and sleeping rooms for 
officers, another for men, and a dressing room and waiting 
room for patients. There were two entrances, both with 
double curtains to protect against gas. Across the street they 
were building other dugouts, partially above the surface, and 
protected by earth and cement bags. Each dugout was ar¬ 
ranged to take twelve stretcher cases. This advanced dress¬ 
ing station was a divisional unit. From here Major Brown 
escorted us. We put on our tin hats, put our gas masks in 
“alert” position, and changed to an ambulance, in which we 
went about one mile, the rest of the way on foot. We passed 
through devastated country all the way—trees torn and dead; 
many shell holes, mostly old, a few new; the ground littered 
with old wreckage; on either side heavy guns, light guns, and 
anti-aircraft guns. We went through old trenches on duck 
boards, then left the duck boards and went around old shell 
holes, barbed wire, and wreckage of all sorts, to the famous 
Hill 60. An enormous crater beside this hill, with consider¬ 
able water in it, was a relic of one of the mine explosions 
before the British captured the hill. From Hill 60 we had 
an excellent view of the devastated country, trenches and 
Ypres in the distance. On the way to this hill we stopped 
at another advanced dressing station in a dugout. Here the 
surface water was so high that it was necessary to keep pump¬ 
ing all the time. In this section were a number of cement 


34 


Base Hospital No. 6 


pill boxes, which had been built by the Germans. The British 
were using one of these for a stretcher station. We came 
back through Ypres; a sorry sight—not a whole building 
standing, the ancient rampart and moat being the only things 
about the city which were not much disturbed. Back to Casu¬ 
alty Clearing Station No. 2 in the afternoon. My diary 
speaks of heavy firing all that evening. 

On our last day here Colonel Leek and certain of his 
officers took us to a theater in Bailleul, where the Tommies 
gave an excellent vaudeville show. 

Major Tasker and I, on our return from this trip, stopped 
over night in Amiens and visited the cathedral. At Paris 
we went to the opera in the evening, and while we were 
there an air raid alarm was sounded; the opera stopped and 
we were all warned to go to the corridors, which were better 
protected than the large hall. There was much firing of 
anti-aircraft guns, but it turned out to be a false alarm caused 
by the return of certain French aeroplanes, which were mis¬ 
taken for Germans. 

Back to Base Hospital No. 6. Under note of March 13 
my diary says that Gen. Leonard Wood and his Aide, Major 
Williams, visited us last week. They were awaiting the sail¬ 
ing of the Espagne . General Wood spent the whole after¬ 
noon with me at the Base Hospital and expressed himself as 
very much pleased with what we were building in the way 
of a hospital and organization. Under date of March 13 
I also find that Secretary of War Baker and General Pershing 
inspected the hospital, accompanied by General Black, Chief 
of Engineers, and General Patrick; accompanying them were 
General Scott, Commanding Officer of Base Section No. 2, and 
his staff. My journal records that Secretary Baker said that 
this was the best military hospital he had seen, and that he 
carried away very pleasant impressions. Let us hope that 
he did not say this at every hospital he visited. 

On April 5 we had our first large convoy, 326 American 
soldiers in one of the new American hospital trains. The 
unloading of the train and the transportation of the wounded 
to the hospital was entirely in the hands of our organization, 
and although it was our first experience, it went off fairly 
well. Lieutenant Leland was Debarkation Officer, Lieutenants 
Hodgson and White assisting him. Captain Mixter as Regis¬ 
trar handled the receiving end. As this was our first expe¬ 
rience, we tried to take too many records on the admission 


Organization and Early Activities 35 

of the patients. The patients began to arrive at the hospital 
at 11.45 and the last one was not in bed until after 

4 a.m. However, they were all convalescents or had never 
had much the matter with them, so no harm was done. My 
diary records this impression: “If they had been Germans 
fifty per cent of this convoy would have been on the firing 
line.” These patients were evacuated from another hospital 
to us. 

During all this time, construction of our new ward build¬ 
ings, our storehouse, our kitchen, dining rooms, quarters for 
nurses and men were progressing steadily; a laundry was 
built, the garage expanded, and an entire plumbing system 
installed, a sewer and septic tank built, and refrigerating 
plant installed. Increased water and electric supplies were 
brought in. The amount of negotiation required and the 
continual pushing involved in getting these accomplished is 
difficult to describe and carry to the reader any adequate 
conception. It was oftentimes very discouraging work. 

About this time the hospital was visited by Mr. and Mrs. 
Louis Frothingham and by Mr. Herbert M. Sears, one of 
the Managers of the Massachusetts Charitable Eye and Ear 
Infirmary. Mr. Sears had performed an excellent service 
behind and close to the French front, near Dunkirk. He 
ran a canteen there for the French soldiers, a service which 
was much appreciated. It was cheering to the whole unit 
to see these home people. 

On April 22, I went to Tours, Headquarters Service of 
Supplies, A. E. F., and saw General Bradley, who informed 
me that he wished me to go to England to build up the Ameri¬ 
can hospitalization there. The American troops were to come 
through England in large numbers and the hospitalization 
was inadequate. I dined at General Bradley’s mess that night; 
with us were Colonels McCaw, Glennon, Reynolds, and Fisher. 

I went back to Bordeaux, and soon received orders reliev¬ 
ing me from command and appointing Maj. Warren L. Bab¬ 
cock to succeed me. I left Bordeaux the latter part of April, 
and after a delay of three days at Le Havre, reached Eng¬ 
land on May 1, 1918. The story of service in England will 
be told elsewhere in this volume. 

Generals Bradley and Ireland, Chief Surgeons of the 
American Expeditionary Forces, and Gen. Francis A. Winter, 
Chief Surgeon, Lines of Communication, were a source of 
great strength to us. They stood firmly behind us in our 


Base Hospital No. 6 


36 

plans for growth and organization. They had the vision of 
what would be needed later which was not always present 
in the minds of other staff officers and line officers in whom 
power was vested. 

When I left much of the new construction was completed 
or nearly so, and all of it well along toward completion, ex¬ 
cept the huts finally used for the men’s barracks, buildings 
which were entirely installed later. The great mass of the 
sick and wounded came to Base Hospital No. 6 after I left. 

I would like to record here my appreciation of the splendid 
organization which went out from the Massachusetts General 
Hospital. Whatever demands were made, there was always 
a trained person ready with the knowledge and ability to 
carry out the task. The hospital itself cared for many patients 
and was, I firmly believe, one of the real sources of strength 
of the Medical Department of the American Expeditionary 
Forces. 

All of our unit were volunteers. The spirit of the Cru¬ 
saders was present with them. They had, many of them, 
made sacrifices and forgotten all thought of material advan¬ 
tage to do their part in the great work of defeating the “Hun” 
and making the accomplishment of his wicked plan impossible. 
In this they were examples of the spirit present in so many 
Americans, as well as citizens of the allied countries. It was 
this spirit which made possible of accomplishment the work 
which Base Hospital No. 6 performed. No other writer in 
this book is likely to say this, so I feel that I must say it for 
them. 

I am aware, when we compare the offering of men 
and women of this unit with that of those who gave their 
lives to the cause, that it is but little. In the presence of the 
dead we stand humble and reverent. Nevertheless, Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6, like many others, did what it was called upon 
to do, and did it in a spirit of commendable devotion and 
sacrifice. 


CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT 
W. L. Babcock 

T HE construction program for a base hospital of 2,200 
beds had been inaugurated when the writer assumed 
command of the hospital, soon after the middle of 
April, 1918. Contracts had been made with French contrac¬ 
tors, through the French Military Engineering Service, for 
the construction of Groups 5, 6, 7 (Isolation Barracks), and 
8 (original Nurses’ Group). Group 3, which had been con¬ 
structed entirely of wood and connected by a long board cor¬ 
ridor with the Lycee buildings, was three-fourths completed. 
The American Engineers (originally Co. C, 18th Railway 
Engineers) who had received orders to construct Group 4, 
later built the Adrian barracks group for enlisted men. Previ¬ 
ous to this time, the American Engineers had built the main 
kitchen and mess-hall, warehouse, central heating plant, steri¬ 
lizing plant, and installed sanitary plumbing in a part of the 
Lycee buildings, which installation was later completed. 

Chateau de Breuil had been leased for the housing of 
nurses, and a few acres of ground in the rear of the hospital 
leased by the representatives of the American Red Cross for 
garden purposes. Chateau Crespy was prepared for the oc¬ 
cupancy of officers. 

Such, in brief, was the material setting which presented 
itself in mid-April, 1918. Here, on this French site of ap¬ 
proximately sixty-seven acres, ensconced in a grove of sturdy 
oaks, was the nucleus for the development of one of the 
largest single base hospitals in the A. E. F. 

The construction of buildings and development of the 
original plans progressed slowly throughout the summer of 
1918, beset now and then with obstacles which at that time 
were considered of some seriousness, but, in the light of 
successful accomplishment, diminishing with the perspective. 
Groups of buildings, originally planned of wood, had to be 
abandoned for tile, because lumber was not readily obtain¬ 
able. Hollow building tile, manufactured in the vicinity, was 
requisitioned and the plans altered to conform to this type 
of construction. Delays in French construction on account 
of lack of laborers threatened again and again. With the 
exception of numerous minor changes in the structural plans, 

37 


Base Hospital No. 6 


33 

the original conception was carried out. It is worthy of 
comment here that the original plans were completed in the 
face of some criticism and opposition from G. H. Q. and the 
American Engineers, because of what they termed semi¬ 
permanent construction. That this type of construction was 
well conceived was borne out by our experience in the fall 
and winter of 1918, during which Bordeaux and vicinity ex¬ 
perienced an unusually disagreeable rainy season. Even the 
naturally buoyant American cannot convalesce happily in mud. 
The Medical Department of the army acquired, during its 
service in the A. E. F., certain experiences of inestimable value. 
It was demonstrated that the fundamental precepts relating 
to satisfactory hospital sites cannot be violated without a 
decrease in efficiency and a limitation of results. The Ameri¬ 
cans who experienced a course of treatment in the few hos¬ 
pitals, or hospital centers, located in mud holes, have a post¬ 
war psychology that may be noted in any personal account 
of experiences. As a hospital site, that of Base Hospital No. 6 
was far above the average for France, and the type of con¬ 
struction chosen was necessary to its proper functioning as 
a hospital. 

The selection of the sites of the various barrack groups 
was more or less influenced by restrictions in the lease of the 
property, which forbade the cutting of trees. Only the open 
spaces in the groves, therefore, were available. A persistent 
effort was made to link up the various isolated groups of 
barracks in one continuous chain by means of walks and cor¬ 
ridors. Though this plan met some opposition because of 
labor and material involved, it was finally consummated, and 
our experience during the rainy season more than justified 
the effort. It simplified the transportation problem from 
group to group. 

It early developed that the transportation of the wounded 
from the trains arriving at the Midi Station, in Bordeaux, 
to the hospital would present many difficulties when full trains 
of wounded arrived for debarkation. Early in May strenuous 
efforts were made to induce the French military authorities 
to push the completion of the railroad station under construc¬ 
tion at La Medoquine. This station was within less than 
two kilometers from the hospital. Its use would preclude 
the necessity of transporting the wounded through the city 
of Bordeaux. Though intended as a permanent railroad 


Construction and Development 39 

station, its type of construction was happily adapted to our 
use and permitted the unloading of several cars of wounded 
simultaneously. The acquirement of this station was one of 
the outstanding developments of the summer of 1918. It 
was placed in use before completion, and functioned early 
enough to permit our handling the larger trains and greater 
number of wounded there. 

Orders from the office of the Chief Surgeon early in 
August, 1918, required that every effort be made to expand 
the bed capacity of the hospital. Under these orders an 
emergency or crisis capacity was established by erecting tents, 
placing cots in corridors, adding cots to barracks, and utilizing 
every available space in all buildings. The normal capacity 
had been increased to 2,850. In response, 1,500 beds were 
added, thus bringing the total normal and emergency capacity 
up to 4,350. The prophetic necessity was illustrated by the 
desperately crowded condition of the hospital on Novem¬ 
ber 12, twenty-four hours after the armistice was declared, 
when the roster showed 4,319 patients present. 

The Chateau de Beycheville, which was offered by the 
American Red Cross to the Medical Department (May 1, 
1918) for use as a convalescent hospital for officers, was 
one of the fortunate acquisitions of the army. Presented to 
the American Red Cross by a public-spirited French woman, 
it was placed in the hands of Base Hospital No. 6 for ad¬ 
ministration. Its furnishings, environments, and maintenance 
offered surroundings that were a boon to convalescents. It 
supplied a break in the weary monotony of convalescence 
in a large base hospital. It functioned successfully until sev¬ 
eral weeks after the armistice, and its occupancy can be pointed 
to with pride. 

Early in July, 1918, the attention of the Chief Surgeon, 
Base Section No. 2, and of the Commanding Officer of Base 
Hospital No. 6, was directed to the French Cures Agricoles, 
established through the wisdom and under the supervision 
of Lieut. Col. J. Bergonie, of the French Service de Sante. 
Briefly, this plan contemplated the distribution of convalescing 
French wounded to country hospitals and their utilization in 
French vineyards and on French farms for the double pur¬ 
pose of providing occupational therapy and increasing pro¬ 
duction. Through the kind instrumentality of Colonel Ber¬ 
gonie and with the approval of the Chief Surgeon, A. E. F., 


40 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Base Hospital No. 6, was permitted to avail itself of the 
accommodations of some of the already established French 
Cures Agricoles. For the Americans, it was an experiment of 
doubtful expediency, for reason of the difference in language, 
diet, and social habits. In July a small group of selected 
wounded was sent to the French Cure Agricole, at Cerons, 
and in August, groups were sent to Martillac and Preignac. 
Their treatment was supervised by Colonel Bergonie with 
beneficial results. The experiment, which was limited to en¬ 
listed men, was continued until the armistice. During these 
months many happy days were spent in French homes and 
vineyards by a few American doughboys. As a result of this 
experiment, it may be stated in brief that the plan was not 
susceptible of any wide extension in France, because of social 
divergences and transportation difficulties. It may be said 
to have been highly successful in the French service, and should 
be utilized by the American Army in this country if another 
day of opportunity offers. Between July 28 and December 1, 
1918, 169 selected wounded American soldiers were distrib¬ 
uted to the three French Cures Agricoles. As to duration of 
stay, 30 soldiers averaged under 30 days; 57 averaged 34 
days, 44 averaged 40 days, and 28 averaged over 40 days. 
As to results of treatment, 152 soldiers out of 169 were dis¬ 
charged to Class “A” duty ultimately, and the remaining 17 
were otherwise classified, or remained in the hospital. In 
conclusion, it may be said that the discipline of the soldiers 
under these conditions offers some difficulty, although in our 
experience it was a negligible feature. Transportation was a 
considerable problem, especially during the latter weeks of 
the war. 

The most happy relations were always maintained between 
the hospital and the French military authorities. The French 
officers, from General Hallouin, Commanding General of the 
18th Region, down to the French Sergeants in charge of the 
French wounded in the hospital, were men of the highest 
type, who endeavored in every way to assist in meeting the 
problems that faced the administrative, constructive, and pro¬ 
fessional work of the hospital. Major de Laigue, liaison 
officer representing the French Service de Sante, was always 
a tower of strength, affability, and resourcefulness. Captain 
Dautet, of the French Engineers in charge of construction, 
gave to his duties great initiative, forcefulness, and courtesy. 



What We Found at the Lycee 



Le Medecin Chef 



Enlisted Personnel under Canvas on the Colin Estate 










U. S. Official 

The Detachment by Their Barracks at Talence 



The Lycee from the Rear Showing Gardens 


U. S. Official 











Construction and Development 41 

Our relations with both of the above officers are happy 
memories of deep obligations, unfailing courtesy, and definite 
accomplishments. 

Col. J. Bergonie, Medecin-Chef 1st Classe, l’Hopital 
Complementaire Frangais No. 4, constantly placed his influ¬ 
ence and resources at the disposal of the American officers. 
His entertainments at his country home, “La Floquette,” will 
always be pleasant memories to the Americans who partici¬ 
pated. In this he was seconded by his charming wife. It 
is a pleasure to record that the Surgeon General’s office pre¬ 
sented Colonel Bergonie with a letter from the War Depart¬ 
ment, testifying to the deep obligations we were under for 
the whole-hearted and practical assistance that he gave the 
American forces throughout the war, especially the use of 
the French Cures Agricoles by convalescing American soldiers, 
as detailed elsewhere. Professional courtesies too numerous 
to mention were constantly in evidence from the representa¬ 
tives of the French Service de Sante, who were on duty in 
Bordeaux. Never to be forgotten were the social relations 
with representative French families in the neighborhood of 
the hospital. The officers and nurses were frequently enter¬ 
tained in a charming manner by the Marquis and Marquise 
de Vivier, M. and Mme. de Luze, and M. Marcel 
Vayssiere. The Franco-American social, literary, and musi¬ 
cal entertainments, which Colonel Cabot so splendidly fostered, 
always had the cooperation and support of these magnificent 
French families. The officers, nurses, and enlisted men of 
the unit were received socially into a score or more of the 
best families of Bordeaux and its environs, thus testifying to 
the mutual good will and hospitality of our French allies. 
Social contacts with larger French groups were frequent, es¬ 
pecially with the Association of Vineyardists, of the Girondin. 
The arrangements for these parties were usually consummated, 
on the part of the Americans, by Lieut. Col. Lloyd Collis, 
Q. M., whose good fellowship was rewarded by the presen¬ 
tation of a silver medal from the citizens of Bordeaux. 

At a time when some of these organizations are under 
criticism for alleged failures to function in war activities, it 
is a pleasure to record the deep obligation of officers, nurses, 
and enlisted personnel of Base Hospital No. 6 to their Bor¬ 
deaux representatives. The Rev. Mr. Thompson, of the 
Hospital Y. M. C. A., and Major Mygatt, of the Red Cross, 


42 


Base Hospital No. 6 


were untiring In their efforts to promote the recreation, enter¬ 
tainment, and material well-being of the organizations. The 
former, during an incumbency of several months as a Y. M. 
C. A. representative at the hospital, frequently worked to 
a point of physical exhaustion in looking after the multitudi¬ 
nous duties of this position and supplying numerous wants of 
the patients and personnel. The Red Cross took over the 
recreational and volunteer relief activities of the hospital on 
November I, 1918. Many other representatives of these 
organizations, the Knights of Columbus and Salvation 
Army, who were late in the field, worked assiduously to pro¬ 
mote the interest of all. It cannot be conceived that the sick 
and wounded, or the personnel of Base Hospital No. 6, under 
the circumstances, have any cause for criticism of these 
organizations. 

It is recalled that August, September, and October, 1918, 
were months of stress and anxiety, throughout which the offi¬ 
cers, nurses, and men labored under the highest degree of 
pressure. It is the duty of the Commanding Officer in charge 
during these months to record the unselfish sacrifices, hearty 
cooperation, and the strenuous labors of officers, nurses, and 
enlisted personnel directed toward the great objective. On 
November 1, 1918, the Commanding Officer was ordered to 
take over and prepare the Caserne Carayon-Latour (Pessac), 
about one and one-half kilometers from the hospital, for the 
reception of American wounded. With the assistance of a 
few men from a detachment of American Engineers, but 
largely through the efforts of the personnel of Base Hospital 
No. 6, this French Caserne was prepared for the reception 
of wounded to the number of 1,200. Though a part of the 
equipment arrived from the Medical Supply Depot, it was 
never used for patients because of the armistice, and the 
lease was surrendered on December 3, 1918. It was con¬ 
templated, originally, to operate it as a part of Base Hospital 
No. 6, but late in November these plans were changed. It 
was numbered Base Hospital No. 220, and Capt. G. A. 
Leland, Jr., who made a splendid record as Adjutant of 
Base Hospital No. 6, was made Commanding Officer. 

Naturally, viewed in advance with apprehension by the 
officer personnel, the inspections of the Commander-in-Chief 
were inspiring and auspicious visits that stimulated endeavor. 
The second visit of inspection by General Pershing, on July 30, 


Construction and Development 43 

1918, occurred in the midst of our constructive activities, at 
a period, when the completion of the hospital was assured. 
His soldierly and felicitous address to several hundred con¬ 
valescent wounded, from the platform of the Red Cross Hut, 
will ever be remembered by those who heard it. 

The relations between the hospital and Headquarters 
Base Section No. 2 were always amicable. The Commanding 
Generals in succession, Brigadier Generals Scott, Connor, and 
Walsh, and the Surgeons, Base Section No. 2, were ever 
ready to cooperate and assist in every way possible. Col. Henry 
A. Shaw as Base Surgeon, especially rendered invaluable 
assistance during the construction period of the hospital. It 
is due the officers, nurses, and enlisted personnel, all of whom 
energetically strove to meet every demand, that the following 
letter be made a matter of record: 

Headquarters, Base Section No. 2, 

Services of Supply, 

A. E. F., France. 

August 19, 1918. 

632. 

From: The Adjutant. 

To: C. O., Base Hospital No. 6. 

Subject: Condition at Base Hospital No. 6. 

1. Upon the recent visit of the Base Commander to your hospital 
he noted with a great deal of satisfaction the excellent condition existing 
there and of the very efficient work being done. 

2. He desires me to express to you his hearty appreciation of the 
efforts of yourself and of all of your personnel. 

Chas. A. Green, 

Major F. A., 
Adjutant. 

Every effort was made by all organizations to cooperate 
with the French in the celebration of their national holiday. 
Perhaps no single feature of the parade and celebration at¬ 
tracted as much attention as did the nurses from Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6 , who paraded to the number of one hundred. 
Comments on their showing in this parade appeared in many 
newspapers in France; moving pictures of this feature of the 
parade were exhibited in many cities of France soon there¬ 
after, and the following letter is appended herewith as a 
matter of record and just appreciation of the splendid show¬ 
ing made by the nurses: 


44 


Base Hospital No. 6 


American Expeditionary Forces 
Headquarters, Base Section No. 2, S. O. S. 

Office of the Quartermaster, 

France. 

July 15, 1918. 


335- 2 

From: Lieut. Col. Lloyd Collis. 

To: Lieutenant Colonel Babcock. 

Subject: French National Holiday, July 14, 1918. 

1. Gen. W. S. Scott, Base Section Commander, desires to express 
to you his thanks for the superb showing of the detachment of Ameri¬ 
can Hospital Nurses in the parade, held on the morning of July 14 
in Bordeaux. 

2. The enthusiastic manner in which they were greeted throughout 
the line of march, and especially before the Tribune on the Quinconces, 
was well merited, and nothing in the parade gave the General more 
pleasure than this worthy reception to this most important branch of 
the service. 

(Signed) Lloyd Collis, 

Lieutenant Colonel Q. M. C., 

Officer in charge. 


Few hospital units left the States as well equipped in 
professional personnel as did the Massachusetts General Hos¬ 
pital Unit. Though numerically submerged later by the ad¬ 
dition of other units and casuals, Base Hospital No. 6 
maintained throughout its entire history the high ideals and 
unswerving loyalty of purpose that were characteristic of the 
original unit. The leavening influence of the highly trained 
professional groups was constantly apparent. Unit O, which 
joined the hospital in February, 1918, was composed of the 
highest type of manhood and womanhood of the South, and 
brought a high average of professional training and ideals. 
Their amalgamation with the original unit produced an en¬ 
semble that enabled successful absorption and hospitalization 
of a scattered and untrained stream of casuals who followed. 
The writer, himself a casual from a military standpoint, feels 
justified in a few personal references. 

The first Commanding Officer was a hospital administrator 
of well-known ability. He brought to his work a training 
and military experience acquired as a volunteer officer in the 
Spanish-American War. Base Hospital No. 6 was the only 
one of the early base hospitals commanded from the start by 
a civilian medical reserve officer. Colonel Washburn’s dis- 


Construction and Development 45 

crimination in the selection of officers, nurses, and enlisted 
men is worthy of record. Other chapters in this history give 
in detail the results and accomplishments of the medical and 
nursing services. The well-known versatility of the chief of 
the medical service had splendid opportunity for expression. 
In addition to organizing and supervising a large medical 
service, he found time to do special work for the Red Cross 
in Paris; visited the British front in Belgium; organized and 
conducted a choir; directed a number of entertainments; fos¬ 
tered a local orchestra; assisted in the recreational arrange¬ 
ments for patients and enlisted men; delivered regular ad¬ 
dresses on current topics; promoted many social contacts with 
French families in the vicinity of the hospital, and wrote a 
book or two. 

The surgical department, with one chief at the front and 
the other at the hospital, added luster to its records. It is 
known that the Surgical Teams headed by Lieutenant Colonel 
Davis, Major Vincent, Captain Crawford, and Lieutenant 
Clarke made a splendid record in Evacuation Hospitals. They 
have a record and history of their own, which can but reflect 
credit on their original unit. Space will not permit greater 
elaboration of the work of these and other medical officers. 
The medical and surgical history will be found in other 
chapters. 

The nursing service of Base Hospital No. 6 was of the 
highest possible type. Week after week, the nurses devoted 
themselves, without thought of rest or self, to the care of the 
sick and wounded. The shortage of nurses, the long hours 
of duty, the frequent emergency calls, the restrictions of mili¬ 
tary life, and the condition under which we lived and worked, 
testify to the endurance and spirit of the nurses. The nurses 
who were ordered for special duty on surgical teams, Red 
Cross Service, care of wounded on trains, and other special 
assignments, acquitted themselves with honor, and added to 
the reputation of the unit. 

The high percentage of well-educated men among the 
enlisted personnel was of the greatest assistance in the ad¬ 
ministration of the hospital. It is regretted that the restric¬ 
tions of military orders prevented a larger number of these 
splendid men from receiving the promotions and commissions 
that their service and sacrifice merited. Without them, the 
history of Base Hospital No. 6 would be differently written. 


4 6 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Early in January orders were received from the Chief 
Surgeon, A. E. F., to turn over Base Hospital No. 6 to the 
Commanding Officer of Base Hospital No. 208. On January 
14, 1918, the buildings, equipment, and properties were turned 
over to that organization, and Base Hospital No. 6 ceased to 
function as a hospital. Directly thereafter the Commanding 
Officer received an order from the Chief Surgeon, A. E. F., to 
embark for the States in charge of a transport of wounded, 
and on January 18, 1918, the command of the personnel and 
unit was turned over to Lieut. Col. Lincoln Davis, M. C. 











JATI^SOi 3c, Aa 10 1AM 
jf: , •: 1 A.XIS y.1 

.30MA5J1 .XUAIOIOH m.m 



























GROUP N ? 4 


BUILDING 


ADMINI5TRAT ION. 
WARD 
‘ WARD 
WARD 
^WARO 

KITCHEN <£. STORAGE.. 
FAT1LNT3* D\N|NG ROOM- 
NURSLS' DINING ROOM. 
WARE. HOUSE. 


STONE.. 


itrttR 

BUILDING- 

D* 

5T0RL HOUSE. . 

E* 

ANIMAL HOUSE. 

F 1 

STERILIZING PLANT <£ LAUNDRY. 

G* 

CLOTHES PRESSIHG DUlLDl NG . 

H a 

OLD WELL 

j *• 

GASOLINE TANK STAND • 

A* 

NEW WARDS . 

B* 

COVERED PASSAGEWAY. 

A 4 

CONVALESCENT WARDS. 

B* 

DINING ROOM . 

C* 

KITCHEN . 

D 4 

BATH HOUSE & TOILETS 

A* 

OFFICER^ QUARTERS. 

B* 

CONVALESCENT CAMP. 

C' 

DINING ROOMS. 

D‘ 

KITCHEN . 

E* 

BATH HOUSES . 


5 E.PT 1 C tank . 

OFFICER^ QUARTERS . 
OFFICERS RED CROSS HUT. 
ISOLATION WARDS . 
KlTCHE-M . 

NE.W WARDS . 

BATH HOUSE. . 

BATH HOUSE. . 

HOSPITAL CORPS BARRACKS. 
DINING ROOM <$■ KITCHEN • 


I INCINERATOR C«»0 . 

1‘- l INCINERATOR CM) . 

J ' ENGINEERS’ OFFICE. 

j ANNEX WARDS 
K 1 HEATING PLANT- 


INDICATES OLD BUILDINGS TAKEN OVER BT 
U.S.evASE. HOSPITAL N*G UNIT. 

INDICATES NEW BUILDINGS. 


TILE 


NUR5E.S* CIVILIANS LATRINE.. 

GUARD HOUSE 
GUARD QUARTERS- 
PUMP HOUSE 6-CARPENTER SHOP 
BATH HOUSE . 

BATH HOUSE 

chapel 

NURSES QUARTERS 
GARAGE. 


t KUA 


t>0RV 


vwVM 




Main entrance. 

MAP OF BASE. HOSPITAL 
NQ SIX. A L.F AT TALLNCL, 
NLAR BORDEAUX. FRANCE. 





























































































HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION AT TALENCE 
Ralph P. Heard 

I N the early part of September, 1917, Base Hospital No. 6 
was housed in that group of buildings marked K, Group 
No. 1, on the map of the hospital. 

It was arranged that certain portions of the Group No. 1 
should be occupied by the American hospital and the remainder 
by the French hospital in residence on our arrival. 

As I am not familiar with the moves made in the various 
departments that led up to the need for expansion, it will 
be understood that after some plan of action was decided 
upon by the Commanding Officer and his Adjutant, they cast 
about for greater space, and the first physical changes were 
contemplated in the kitchen. 

Some plans were laid out in a very rough way—in fact, 
they were not even at any given scale, as I recall—then came 
the question of permission from the French to make such 
changes as the Americans needed. Obtaining permission 
to move, or add in any fashion to that which existed before 
our arrival, proved a very vexing problem many times in the 
days that followed the conception of a larger hospital. 

One morning it was announced that a set of plans of the 
entire Group No. 1, which was comprised of buildings A, B, 
C, D, E, and K, should be made at once. The first five 
buildings were of stone, three of them three stories in height; 
D and E, four stories. All but A had wide marble stairways 
and landings of a cement composition; A, which became the 
Administration Building, had oak stairways. With the ex¬ 
ception of the stair halls these buildings were equipped through¬ 
out with hardwood floors. The walls were of a stone similar 
in appearance and texture to our Indiana limestone, and about 
18 inches in thickness, the roofs of tile, and all windows were 
casements opening into the rooms. 

The part of the group marked K was added by the French, 
having been built for the operating and X-ray department, 
and to house patients. There were under the French Medecin- 
Chef, twenty-eight wards of twenty beds each. At one end, 
near the long passage, were two rooms used for supply rooms, 
and at the far end were the toilet rooms, with the sinks and 
lavatories after the approved French type. 

47 


48 


Base Hospital No. 6 


This building was built of hollow tile, one story in height, 
plastered on the inside and painted white. The windows were 
huge four-paned frames that swung from the bottom into 
the room, and were opened and closed by means of a cord fas¬ 
tened at the center upper bar of the frame and passed through 
a pulley fastened on the wall; as to screens, there were none 
at either doors or windows. All the woodwork in these wards 
had been given a coat of light blue paint. The floors were 
of wood and the roofs of a red composition tile. 

In the buildings we found cold water and a supply of gas, 
which was possible to use at certain hours only. There were 
also electric lights, but heat was a factor that had not entered 
into the building of these wards, or even into the stone build¬ 
ings, to any great extent. 

With these buildings as a nucleus the plans were given 
over to the Commanding Officer, and he departed for Paris, 
where the G. H. Q., A. E. F., was stationed at that time. 

Within the week the American Engineers sent us a repre¬ 
sentative, who said that it would be quite simple to install 
elevators, ice-making plants—both to be run by electricity— 
and a proper and adequate heating system; also to build, 
furnish, and equip a first-class hotel or hospital kitchen to feed 
five hundred patients, in addition to the officers, nurses, and 
men of the unit, at the time approximately three hundred 
people. 

Recalling the stone walls of the five buildings and the 
hallways with their cement floors, I wondered at the Major’s 
optimism, and asked if he had any notion of how we should 
waive aside these existing conditions; and one still greater 
question, where should we find the material to accomplish 
all this? We had only our own hospital corps men and our 
officers, about thirty in number, to direct and execute this 
vast program. The Major did not quite know, and he ad¬ 
mitted as much to me as he gazed at the stone facade of 
building B as we stood in the little garden on the eastern side 
of the Administration Building. 

However, we did get the loan of three men with proper 
equipment to make a survey of the entire property known 
as the Petit-Lycee. The Engineer Major did help us over 
this problem, but there he left us, telling our Commanding 
Officer that the plans must first be put in working form, and 
his three engineer corps men, added to the hospital corps men, 
could accomplish this result. 


Hospital Construction at Talence 


49 


Draughting boards were ordered through the Q. M., 
material such as paper, pencils, pens, ink, etc., were duly 
purchased, two men were detailed from the company, and 
we went to work in earnest to put plans on paper for Base 
Hospital No. 6. 

During the period that passed, between our arrival and the 
development of this full-fledged draughting room, minor pro¬ 
jects had gone forward, such as the estimating and purchasing 
of wire screening for all the buildings of Group K. The 
windows had to be changed from the cord method, which was 
considered dangerous, to that of chains, and window sticks 
were made to open and close them. 

There arose much difficulty with the gas supply, as we 
needed hot water and the supply was inadequate; also the 
plumbing arrangements were unequal to our demands for the 
care of patients; so taken by and large, there were a number 
of items which demanded immediate attention, aside from 
the new plan that was growing from day to day. 

In the early part of October we were ready to erect our 
kitchen, dining rooms, and a warehouse that we needed for 
medical and Q. M. supplies, which were increasing daily, and 
which we were obliged to store in spaces we wished to paint 
and set up as wards. 

The services of Company C, 18th Engineers, California, 
were given over to us, and the requisitions for materials were 
filled, enabling us to commence on actual building operations. 

With the plans out of the draughting room and in the 
hands of the Engineers, we went on to the planning of 
Group No. 2 barracks for nurses; also at this time barracks 
were under consideration for officers and enlisted men. 

These plans were based upon a barrack built by the French, 
which came in blocks, as Hodgson houses do, the units of 
which controlled our buildings, but as we needed certain 
spaces for definite purposes, it meant a bit of study before 
we were able to send these plans up for the G. H. Q.’s O. K. 

For some reason there had been an agreement that the 
French Engineers should build us a certain number of bar¬ 
racks. I do not recall the circumstances; however, plans 
were made and the contracts signed for Groups 4 and 5 to 
be built of hollow tile walls, concrete floors in kitchen and 
dining rooms, wooden floors elsewhere, and all to be supplied 
with stoves. These buildings were to have slate roofs. 


50 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Once the lease was signed for the Colin estate, joining 
the Lycee property to the left on the map and north by the 
compass, we had an area a little larger than Boston Common 
under our control, subject, of course, to certain civil laws of 
the country. 

This tract became a small village of Americans, with the 
standard of the Massachusetts General Hospital to be 
maintained. 

The French began shipping materials in and breaking 
ground for their various groups of barracks; the American 
Engineers kept steadily at work on the kitchen and dining 
rooms, and the changes in the stone buildings in Group i, 
such as installing plumbing fixtures, hot and cold water in 
all service rooms, shower baths and a heating plant. A steri¬ 
lizer which the unit had brought from America was housed, 
and at this time we laid about one mile of sewer pipes on 
the Colin estate. 

The Y. M. C. A. gave the contract for their building to 
their French builders after the Commanding Officer decided 
upon a location. 

Having got everything well under way, it was decided 
that an isolation group was needed, so plans were made for 
Group No. 6. These, too, were contracted for, and ground 
broken for them in short order, as their general plan was 
not unlike that of our other wards. 

Group No. 3 was started shortly after the completion of 
the kitchen and dining rooms, G., F., and F 1 . This was just 
begun when the i8th Engineers were ordered up the line 
and Lieut. Samuel A. Graham, on detached duty, came out 
to take over their work. 

Lieutenant Graham gave his whole-hearted assistance from 
the day of his arrival until he turned the completed buildings 
over to Base Hospital No. 6. The American Engineers left 
us, and in their places were sent civilian laborers, so that 
Lieutenant Graham had much work to accomplish with un¬ 
skilled labor. Later he encountered labor troubles, which 
resulted in two strikes, because of dissatisfaction on the part 
of the civilians when they learned the prices Americans were 
paying in and about Bordeaux for local labor. 

Finally all of our wards were complete, the water mains 
installed, electric lights, stoves for heating, service rooms fully 
equipped as originally specified, shower baths, tubs, and wash 


Hospital Construction at Talence 


5i 


basins all set, and a laundry and clothes pressing room added, 
in order to make the uniforms presentable after being sterilized. 

An animal house was built for the housing of animals used 
in experiments by the base section laboratory, which had its 
headquarters at Base Hospital No. 6. 

When the nth day of November, 1918, dawned, Base 
Hospital No. 6 was operating under the title of one of the 
best base hospitals in France. This praise was earned by 
the hearty cooperation of officers, nurses, and enlisted per¬ 
sonnel under the clear guidance of their Commanding Officer, 
who had the vision of this completed whole in the early autumn 
of 1917. 


THE NURSES’ POINT OF VIEW 
Sara E. Parsons 

T HE Nurse Corps of U. S. Army Base Hospital No. 6 
was enrolled in 1916, and when the call came a year 
later for immediate preparation, there was hectic 
activity for a few weeks, filling vacancies and doing business 
by telegraph between Washington, Boston, and the various 
parts of the country where nurses were located. Every one 
had to meet Red Cross requirements, which meant three years 
of training in an accredited school, state registration, and 
good standing in her alumnae society. It was also required 
that she be not under twenty-five years of age. 

Each nurse had to be vaccinated and inoculated, examined 
physically, and her certificate accepted in Washington, before 
she became an accredited member of the unit. 

This preparation was no easy task for nurses living out 
of Boston or doing private work. Fifty-five of the staff of 
sixty-four nurses were graduates of the Massachusetts Gen¬ 
eral Hospital. Three were graduates of the Homeopathic 
Hospital, Boston, and chosen because of their special training 
in contagious diseases; four were graduates of the Children’s 
Hospital; and the other two were nurses recommended by the 
Red Cross to fill eleventh hour vacancies, caused by a Massa¬ 
chusetts General Hospital nurse who got married, and one 
who developed whooping-cough. Among the Massachusetts 
General Hospital nurses were some who had specialized in 
eye and ear work, others who had had mental nursing, and 
some who were experts in anaesthesia, orthopedics, operating, 
medical, and public health work. All had received good 
general training. 

When the time came to leave Boston captains were chosen 
from among the nurses to be responsible for squads of eight 
nurses each, and it was a moment of great relief when all 
were safely on the train. 

When we arrived in New York we reported to the Red 
Cross, where we received instructions about outfit; after which 
we reported to Miss Mury, Chief Nurse at Ellis Island. 
Here began our experiences in real community living and in 
the exigencies of army paper work. 

5 2 


The Nurses’ Point of View 53 

At this time the Chief Nurse of Base Hospital No. 6 had 
occasion to appreciate an accomplishment of some of her nurses 
hitherto unacknowledged, namely, typewriting. If some of them 
had not come to the rescue at this critical time, the expedition 
would have been a failure at the very beginning. We lived 
on the Island from June 30 to July 10,, getting equipped, and 
making the acquaintance of expense accounts and a certain 
amount of army regime . Ours was the ninth unit to be 
equipped. Great excitement prevailed July 9, when we were 
told to hand in our passes and be ready for a nine o’clock 
boat the next morning. 

On the tenth we were joined by the rest of our unit and 
comfortably settled in the good S. S. Aurania, in which we 
sailed out of the harbor July 11, at 4.30 P.M., for “somewhere 
in France.” 

Since comparing notes with several other units, it would 
seem that we enjoyed an exceptionally pleasant passage, with 
more wholesome enjoyment and less discomfort and anxiety 
than fell to most of the others. Choir practice, French classes, 
practical nursing demonstrations, boat drills, and entertain¬ 
ments shared in common with other members of the unit, 
passed the time very profitably and agreeably until landing 
in Liverpool. 

If any member of the nursing staff felt fear while passing 
through the danger zone, she concealed the fact perfectly. 
Considering that everybody hoped to get a glimpse of London 
en route for France, our disappointment was borne nobly. 

Our first real feeling of what war had done to England 
was experienced on our train ride, during which we saw ab¬ 
solutely no able-bodied men. The sight of so many old women 
and children working in the fields and gardens, who waved 
and cheered our train as we passed, made lumps rise in our 
throats and the landscape a blur. 

We landed in Havre, where we had a short breathing 
spell, and on the 28th of July arrived in Bordeaux, after 
an intensely uncomfortable trip. Not knowing we should 
be on the train over night, we let our blanket-roles go into 
the baggage car, so we were very cold at night; and the day, 
which was said to be the hottest for several years, was 
suffocating. 

We arrived at noon and were met by ambulances, which 
took us to Talence. I have heard nurses who have been 


54 


Base Hospital No. 6 


close to the front under shell fire say, that never will any day 
stand out as did the first day at what became our Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6. As we drove into the grounds, large numbers 
of Senegalese, Chinese, and French soldiers who were stroll¬ 
ing about the grounds, surrounded us to watch with curious 
eyes the new “Americaines.” We were immediately installed 
in the wards from which sixty-four of these patients had just 
been evacuated. As the hospital had only been notified of our 
expected arrival at 9 A.M., it is no reflection on them that the 
beds were not made and no lunch ready. 

Many of us were too tired to be over-curious about our 
accommodations, and these just tumbled on to the mattresses 
for a needed nap. Another small squad of energetics headed 
by Dorothy Tarbox brushed and aired their mattresses, washed 
the beds, and later retired to more reposeful slumber than 
did those who were too confiding or listless to argue with 
strange bed-fellows. 

Those first six months of settling, who will ever forget 
them—dirt and smells and rats; scarcity of water and light 
at first, later cold and dampness going to the marrow; chil¬ 
blains, intestinal upsets, colds, and coughs. That is one side 
of the picture that makes the background for lovely fall days, 
walks, picnics, baseball, concerts, lovely services out of doors, 
blackberry parties, and French pastries in Bordeaux patisseries. 

The 6th of December, 1917, was a red-letter day, for on 
that day the last stoves were installed in the wards and nurses’ 
quarters. 

Our first surgical team went to Soissons September 26. 
Groups of nurses were being ordered to Paris and Ris-Orangis 
to assist at the surgical dressings stations, to supply in hos¬ 
pitals, and to observe war nursing methods. In September 
patients began to arrive from the camps, and by Christmas 
we had quite a hospital. The character of the work was 
much like that in civil hospitals, except that there was a good 
deal of contagious disease. 

Probably the hardest thing for the nurses during this 
period, aside from lack of warmth, hot water, and cleaning- 
cloths, was the necessity of making patients do the housework. 
The patients themselves had to become accustomed to the 
requirements, and for a time the result left something to be 
desired. 

October 29, Louise Lovejoy was detached for Public 
Health Work in Paris with Major Cabot; later, Margaret 


The Nurses’ Point of View 55 

G. Reilly, Bernadette Cormier, Gertrude Eastman, Leonor 
Field, and Maude Barton joined them. March 1 four of the 
six returned to the Base. 

March 10, 1918, we received our first reinforcements, 
consisting of twenty-one nurses of Unit O from Charlotte, 
N. C., and very welcome they were, too, for now our hospital 
was a busy place. Chateau de Breuil was taken over at 
this time for extra nurses’ living quarters. 

March 24, May Coulson arrived as a transfer from the 
New York Presbyterian Hospital Unit. 

April 15 a nurse was detached permanently from the 
original unit, and on May 6, 1918, the unit lost by death one 
of its most talented and beloved nurses, Lucy N. Fletcher, 
who succumbed after a long, painful, but brave struggle with 
meningitis. 

June 11 another casual was attached, transferred from 
another base, and June 17, fifteen nurses from Base No. 13 
(Chicago Presbyterian Hospital) were assigned to us, bring¬ 
ing our nursing staff up to one hundred. Several small groups 
of the original staff of nurses had been detached for surgical 
teams, evacuation hospitals, and hospital trains. 

June 22, 189 transients arrived, personnel of Bases No. 22 
(Milwaukee) and No. 114 (an orthopedic unit). Among 
them were two of our young Massachusetts General Hospital 
graduates, who remained with us several weeks. Several 
groups were soon detached to other stations, but June 8 
brought us twenty more casuals. 

Our very heavy work began in July, and when another 
nurse from Base No. 18 (Johns Hopkins Hospital) was added, 
although our staff then numbered 182, there was plenty of 
work for all, and more than could easily be carried. In 
August the Assistant Chief Nurse, Miss Mary F. Emery, was 
obliged to go home on account of health, to the regret of 
all. From that time until November 11, when the armistice 
was signed, our number of patients increased and nurses de¬ 
creased, for groups were detached for other stations. 

September 26 found us with a nursing staff of 109. Up 
until then our number of sick nurses ranged from two to 
five at a time; during October there were from 10 to 14 off 
duty on account of sickness, so that we had about 97 available 
nurses for our patients, who were now numbered by thousands. 
For several weeks many of the nurses kept on duty who should 


56 Base Hospital No. 6 

have been in bed, and all were suffering from overwork and 
nerve strain. 

November n, the day the armistice was signed, we had 
4,319 patients in the hospital, hundreds of them badly 
wounded, and hundreds critically ill with influenza, pneu¬ 
monia, etc. There were 99 nurses on duty that day. We had 
one French infirmiere and six maids to assist. 

The orderlies were as scarce as the nurses, and most of 
them were untrained. 

Our best help came from convalescent patients, who were 
often intelligent about helping, and usually kind and willing. 

If at this time we had not been tormented about keeping 
Class B or C patients on the ward to help, the strain would 
have been much lighter. 

October 21 five nurses from Camp Hospital No. 38 were 
attached, and December 7 fifteen more nurses were added to 
our number. From this date until January 14, when Base 
Hospital No. 6 turned over the hospital to Base No. 208, 
the number of patients decreased, and the staff of nurses in¬ 
creased, fortunately for the patients and the health of the 
nurses. 

Gradually our detached nurses came back, but all did not 
return to the United States with us, for Rosa Shayeb elected 
to go with the Red Cross Commission to Palestine, and 
Charlotte Pitman, Alice Buchanan, and Helen B. Haines 
joined a commission for Italy. Our dietitian transferred to 
the Y. M. C. A. for canteen work, and two of the secretaries 
were detached. Fifty-four of the original sixty-four nurses, 
and three secretaries, returned together after their year and 
a half of service in the A. E. F. in France. 

The outstanding features of the nurses’ life and work 
during this period seem to be the following, as observed by 
the Chief Nurse: 

A universal enjoyment of actual bedside nursing in 
addition to executive responsibilities. Although thirty-eight 
of the sixty-four had held executive positions before joining 
the unit, they were always glad to take subordinate positions, 
where they could work directly with the patients. As all 
nurses in time had to take charge of wards and nurse the 
patients at the same time, it was equally pleasing to find that 
those nurses who had not held executive positions in civil 
life almost without exception assumed responsibility very well. 



U. S. Official 

Front of the Lycee 



Petit Lycee de Talence 














U. S. Official 

Central Heating Plant 



French Barracks Showing in the Background Corridor of the New 
Construction on the Colin Estate 















The Nurses’ Point of View 


57 

There was never a time when the nursing department suf¬ 
fered from too many executives, a complaint of other units. 

There seemed never a time when the nurses were 
too tired or too busy to do extra kindnesses for the patients. 
The hours off duty that were spent making candy, cakes, pies, 
and ice-cream, and the personal money spent for eggs, milk 
(evaporated), fruit, etc., for the sicker patients, when army 
supplies failed to materialize, could hardly be estimated. 

Most gratifying of all was the spirit of motherliness 
which pervaded the atmosphere, and the respect which the 
nurses always commanded. 

To sum up my impressions: The advantage of knowing 
one’s personnel is tremendous, both from a professional and 
physical standpoint. Many valuable women who can work 
in an understanding and sympathetic environment, could never 
stand the strain in an uncongenial situation, but in this re¬ 
spect we were fortunate, as there was an unusual spirit of 
cooperation and congeniality among the nurses of our Base 
Hospital. 


THE CHAPLAIN’S STORY 
Rev. Henry K. Sherrill 

W AR reminiscences are misleading because memory 
retains the happy experiences and we forget the 
painful and monotonous. The old days in time 
become the good old days. That is how the ancient war 
“myth” comes to life again. Men who do not know, get the 
idea that war is glorious, thrilling, even “good fun.” It is 
true that as Chaplain of Base Hospital No. 6, I received many 
valuable gifts, the opportunity of being of some little service 
in a time of great need, an experience of human nature which 
no length of days in a parish at home could have given me, 
friendships which I know will be life-long, and the memory 
of a common effort and service. If I dwell on these aspects 
of our life together, it is not to underestimate the horror of 
war. As I write in my quiet Brookline study, there is still 
with me the picture of those long rows of sufferers, over four 
thousand of them on Armistice Day. I can in imagination be 
again at the bedside of some boy who is “passing over” so 
far from home—I can take once more that familiar journey 
to the cemetery at Talence. Human nature can rise above 
any situation. We had many good times. Yet there is through 
the memory of it all, like a nightmare, the consciousness of the 
utter loss of war. If we bear testimony, as we should, to the 
heroism of our men at the front in France, we must also 
testify out of our experience in a hospital that, when war 
becomes necessary, then it is the tragedy of the Cross. Future 
generations of all nations must know what war is. Before I 
reminisce at all, I want that fact to be plain. 

One day in July, 1916, I was called on the telephone and 
asked to be Chaplain of a base hospital. I had never heard 
of one before, but after a few days’ consideration I went down 
to the Massachusetts General Hospital, signed the roll, and 
then forgot all about it for a year. In April, rumors began 
to fly thick and fast that the base hospitals were to be called 
out. The matter really seemed serious when we were summoned 
to learn how to take a revolver apart. Somehow I can’t remem¬ 
ber our learning how to put it together again. Then we were 
taught “to the rear march,” began making preparations, and 

58 


The Chaplain’s Story 


59 


we knew that a base hospital on paper was soon to be the real 
thing. The first time that we all met together, officers, nurses, 
and men, was at the Farewell Service at Trinity Church, June 
3, 1917. It seems to me as I look back the most inspiring 
service I ever attended. Who of us will ever forget those 
Hymns, the Prayers, the words of Bishop Lawrence, and the 
great crowd filling the church and stretching out into Copley 
Square! That service started us right. Then we thought 
we were going each week and didn’t. At first our friends 
wished us heartfelt “Good-byes,” and then they said, “Haven’t 
you gone yet?” I remember meeting a friend who said: “Oh 
dear, I thought you had gone. I have been praying for you 
for two weeks, thinking you were on the water.” But finally 
the delays were over, and we sailed “quietly” down New York 
Harbor to the accompaniment of ferry-boat whistles. If only 
the Kaiser had been allowed to know, all might have been 
over then. On board we had two services on the two Sundays, 
Holy Communion at an early hour, and then a later service 
at eleven o’clock with Major Cabot leading a choir and the 
Purser reading the Lessons. We also had several entertain¬ 
ments to vary life-boat drill, and the watching for and talking 
about periscopes. From the time that we landed in Liverpool 
until we reached Talence we were either separated into groups 
or at least constantly on the move; so there is not much of 
general interest from my point of view to record. 

With our arrival at Talence there commenced the real 
work of the hospital. The Chaplain was particularly inter¬ 
ested in two sides of our life, the religious and the social. 

During the eighteen months that I was in Talence we 
held two and many times three services a Sunday, Holy Com¬ 
munion at eight o’clock, a morning service at eleven, and after 
the Red Cross Hut was built, an evening service at seven 
o’clock. The French Roman Catholic Priest celebrated Mass 
in the chapel on the hospital grounds. He was one of the 
kindest and most genial of men, and I wish here to state my 
appreciation of all he did for us. Although we divided in one 
sense on Sunday mornings, yet in another sense we were united. 
There was always the most friendly religious feeling and co¬ 
operation between all members of the unit. Perhaps the 
best indication of this is that a union choir helped at both types 
of services. Our “Church” was everywhere. First we held 
service in a little grove on the hospital grounds, where a rustic 


6o 


Base Hospital No. 6 


altar was built. Some of us will always remember those times 
when we met to praise God in a foreign land amid those beau¬ 
tiful surroundings. Then we worshipped on the long espla¬ 
nade. Next we moved to one of the wards, then to one of 
the dining rooms, and finally to the Red Cross Hut. Rev. 
David Thompson, our Y. M. C. A. Secretary, was always a 
great support in these services, and gave many of the addresses 
on Sunday evenings. I do not believe I shall ever have such 
a congregation again, officers, nurses, men, and patients in 
dressing gowns, on crutches, in wheeled chairs. The congre¬ 
gation was literally made up of the lame, the halt, and some¬ 
times, the blind. 

The religious work of the Chaplain was not confined to 
Sundays, for the most important part was the visiting through 
the wards, especially the very sick. It was a real pastoral ex¬ 
perience, a coming into contact with all sorts and conditions 
of men. The patients came from every part of the battle- 
front, from the service of supplies, or off transports just from 
home. They were representative of every corner of the United 
States: New Englanders, Southerners, Westerners. In asking 
the question, “What were you before you enlisted?” there 
might come the answer, a student, a plumber, a mechanic, a 
lawyer, a farmer, or anything else that a man might con¬ 
ceivably be. There were the negro stevedores, who if they 
were asked by an orderly, “Catholic or Protestant?” might 
reply, “Ahse a stevedore, Boss.” There were men whose 
ancestors had lived in America for generations, and then there 
were those who had themselves been born in foreign lands. 
I recall in this connection going into a ward one night and 
hearing this conversation. One patient said to another, evi¬ 
dently an Italian, “Where were you born?” “None of your 
business,” came the answer. “What’s the matter? Are you 
ashamed you were born in Italy?” “No, but I’m tired of 
being called a Wop.” “You should worry where you were 
born; I was born in Berlin.” Both were suffering from wounds 
received in their allegiance to a common cause. Then of 
course there were in the hospital men of every religious faith 
as also of no faith. An American base hospital was not only a 
cross section of the American Expeditionary Force, but of the 
whole United States as well. Within those hospital walls were 
all the component parts which go to make American democracy. 
I have said that they were men of all sorts and conditions, 


The Chaplain’s Story 


61 


and yet they were all alike in this particular—all were in need, 
not only of medical attention, but also of friendship, and 
whether they knew it or not, of the strength and comfort which 
only God can give. It was my privilege to spend a part of 
each day for almost eighteen months in trying to be of some 
help to these men. With over 4,000 men in the hospital at 
one time, there was the constant realization of how much had 
not been accomplished, and of the times when the right word 
had not been said, or the helpful thing done. Yet there were so 
many real opportunities that no one could miss them all. Even 
though we were far from excitement and adventure, and there 
was great monotony, yet if I were to go through it all again, I 
should want to be chaplain of a base hospital, because 
there was so much to be done, a cheering word, some 
personal interest, a letter written home. During the eighteen 
months I prayed literally hundreds of prayers by the bedsides 
of our men, and only once was there lack of appreciation. It 
made me realize more than ever the old statement that “all 
men are incurably religious.” Then there are the memories 
of the self-forgetfulness of many men, their utter consecration 
to a cause. I could write on indefinitely, but there must be 
some limit. 

The social side of life in the unit was most important. 
Army life away from a front is apt to be monotonous anyway. 
Hospital life is particularly so, because of the strain of always 
being with the sick. So it was important that the unit should 
have amusement. Early in our days at Talence I was able 
to buy a moving picture machine, with funds given by parish¬ 
ioners of Trinity Church; a ward was fitted up as a Recrea¬ 
tion Room, and an Enlisted Men’s Club formed. We then 
established a Baseball League, with games on Sunday after¬ 
noons. One great difficulty with these games was to keep 
the curious French people from watching the game from 
behind the catcher. We had lectures, readings, and musicales 
on many evenings. Major Cabot did more in these ways for 
the unit than any one else, with his current events talks, his 
readings, his chorus, and his violin. Then later on when the 
Red Cross Hut was built, the Enlisted Men’s Club had a room 
well fitted up for reading, writing, and meetings of their own. 
The officers and nurses held several dances, and the Y. M. 
C. A. arranged dances for the men. For the patients much was 
done. There were constant “movies” in the Red Cross Hut. 


6 2 


Base Hospital No. 6 


The Y. M. C. A. and the Red Cross sent many entertainers 
and lecturers. The members of the unit gave several enter¬ 
tainments and plays. Notable “good times” were arranged 
for the two Christmases we were there. During the summer 
of 1918, neighboring regiments were generous in lending us 
their bands for periods of a week at a time. We were most 
fortunate in our Red Cross representatives, Captains Mygatt 
and Rommel; Mr. Thompson I have already mentioned. The 
Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus, and the Salva¬ 
tion Army all helped greatly, and we were constantly remem¬ 
bered by our Boston friends. The nurses were of invaluable 
assistance along these lines. I do not believe that one quarter 
enough has been said of their service abroad. I am not 
writing now of their efficient medical work, but of what they 
did to cheer their patients, in the decorating of the wards 
for holiday time, writing home, making ice-cream, and many 
other deeds of kindness and cheer, always in addition to their 
regular work. 

When I was asked to write this little article, I was told 
to write of what interested me. So I am going to make small 
mention of some of the other duties of the Chaplain of Base 
Hospital No. 6, such as censor and postmaster. Those duties 
were as painful to me as to the other members of the unit. 
They make me feel more than ever that Sherman knew what 
he was talking about. Inspections? No, I will refrain! 

In January, 1919, I was ordered to leave the Base Hos¬ 
pital and report at the Headquarters of the First Army at 
Bar-sur-Aube. It was indeed with a heavy heart that I left 
the friends and associations of a year and a half. At Bar-sur- 
Aube, with two other chaplains, I was assistant to Rev. Herbert 
Shipman, Senior Chaplain of the First Army. I had the 
broadening experience of living under the same roof with a 
Jewish Rabbi and a Roman Catholic Priest. Our task was 
to cover the units too small to have chaplains of their own. 
We would motor from place to place, holding services. I 
added one more to my list of “churches,” holding service for 
a Massachusetts Signal Battalion in an old mill. While with 
the First Army I had an interesting trip with Chaplain Ship- 
man through the Argonne, and a “leave” during which I 
visited the old British front and Belgium. In March I spent 
the two longest weeks of my life at St. Aignan and Brest, 
finally sailing March 15 on the battleship Montana. In April 


The Chaplain’s Story 63 

the unit came together at a Welcome Home Service in Trinity. 
As I look back, the days that mean the most to me are those 
early in our stay in France, when our original unit was intact. 
Major Washburn did everything possible to support the Chap¬ 
lain, and I do not believe there was a better group of officers, 
nurses, or men anywhere. I am very grateful that the tele¬ 
phone rang in 1916, and that I was asked to be Chaplain of 
Base Hospital No. 6. 


THE MEDICAL SERVICE 
Richard C. Cabot 

O UR work fell into three periods,— (i) waiting for 
work and organizing our hospital plant, July, 1917, 
to January, 1918; (2) running full blast with a com¬ 
petent and not overworked staff, January, 1918, to July, 
1918; (3) the terrible rush of work with relatively few of 

our original staff left, and constant danger of bad mistakes, 
July, 1918, to November 11, 1918. 

During the first period we repined a good deal and thought 
we had bad luck to be so far from the front and to have so 
little to do. Looking back now we can see that this long 
period of waiting, when combined with the energy of our 
commanding officer, made it possible to develop a hospital 
plant and organization capable of maintaining the highest 
medical standards. During this period our x-ray got running 
and our laboratories settled down to work; we got used to 
our quarters and to the new type of cooperation with each 
other and with the nurses and enlisted men,—something a 
good deal unlike our hospital work at home. 

When the patients finally came to us, and we were properly 
organized and ready to receive them, there came a period 
during which I believe we furnished as good a quality of 
medical service as I have ever seen. We were there on the 
job all day, and could have any amount of consultations at 
meals and at other times. The subordinates doing the sort 
of work which at home is done by house officers, were far 
superior in capability to any house officers to be had in peace 
times, since they were all trained and picked physicians. Most 
of the men who came to us from Unit O merged easily with 
the rest of us, so that there was no break in standards. Dur¬ 
ing a good deal of this period, Maj. W. L. Moss, Medical 
Chief of Service from November, 1917, to March, 1918, 
gave an amount and kind of devotion to individual patients, 
and to the supervision of other men’s work, that I have rarely 
seen equalled and never surpassed. During this period one 
could honestly say that army work in a foreign country ex¬ 
ceeded in quality the best that our hospitals could offer to 
the general public at home. 


64 


The Medical Service 


65 

When our hospital capacity amounted to 3,000, and finally 
to more than 4,000 patients, the quality of our work necessarily 
fell off. We were too much rushed and our personnel had 
suffered too much,—both in quality and relatively in numbers, 
—to make it possible for us to maintain the high standard of 
the previous months. I do not know of any serious mistakes 
or disasters during that period, but I was in constant fear that 
such would occur, and in the days leading up to the armistice, 
it seemed as if the breaking point of fatigue and overwork 
was almost reached. 

Among the special features of our medical work to which 
I look back with satisfaction were the care of the cases of 
meningitis, given by Lieutenant Binger, of the cardiac 
neuroses, by Capt. Paul D. White, and of the acute 
exanthemata and skin diseases by Major Oliver. The latter’s 
transformation into an internist and general medical man, and 
his astonishing ability in this position, was surprising to all of 
us, but his special skill in the field of the diseases above 
referred to was of still greater assistance to our unit. 

Capt. Paul D. White’s organization of the baseball team, 
made up of cardiac patients of the neurotic group, supposedly 
unable to work or breathe without great difficulty, and his testing 
out of these same patients in exercises performed while wearing 
the gas mask, were interesting and original. During the 
influenza epidemic we all of us learned a good deal about 
that disease as well as about pneumonia, although in the end 
we came out knowing as little about its bacteriology and cause 
as in the beginning. 

Taking the experience as a whole, I found it a very 
profitable one from the point of view of pure medicine. I 
learned more medicine than in any recent two-year period of 
my medical life. Like the rest of the medical staff, I felt 
that I was very fortunate in being so placed that I could use 
to the best advantage the medical training accumulated in this 
country, and do a man’s work towards helping on the war. 
In this we were all, as I have said, unusually fortunate. In 
other units many an able physician found his service in France 
largely a period of waste and disappointment. 


EXPERIENCES WITH FOUR GROUPS OF 
MEDICAL PATIENTS 

Paul D. White 

F ROM the winter of 1917-18 until after the armistice, 
the medical service was frequently swamped with all 
kinds of infectious diseases, such as pneumonia, influ¬ 
enza, mumps, scarlet fever, measles, diphtheria, and meningi¬ 
tis, with which all the officers on the medical side had to cope 
sooner or later. There were, however, interspersed among 
all these, four groups of patients in the study and care of 
which I was able to take especial interest. These groups 
were composed of (1) cardiac, (2) effort syndrome, (3) 

rheumatic fever, and (4) gassed cases. __ 

(1) Cardiac. The soldiers with heart disease largely 
appeared early in the history of the hospital. There were 
never very many, but among the first American troops in 
France there were not a few chronic cardiac cases. Later, 
when the new army began to come over there were extremely 
few chronic cardiacs; the special examining boards in the 
camps at home had weeded them out. A few acute cases 
did develop later, after rheumatic or scarlet fever, but the 
organic heart problem of the A. E. F., after the turn of the 
year 1918, was almost nil. It was then, however, that the 
functional heart disturbances—the cardiac neuroses, effort 
syndrome—began to appear, but never to the extent 
that they did in the British Expeditionary Force. Of 24,254 
cases at Base Hospital No. 6, from beginning to end, 116 
were diagnosed as chronic endocarditis, and 46 as acute endo¬ 
carditis, a total of 162. Of the former, 13 died, and of the 
latter, 12. There were 40 cases of acute pericarditis with 29 
deaths. Nine cases were diagnosed myocarditis, without doubt 
too small a number, but the general inelasticity of the army 
manual prevented more satisfactory nomenclature. There 
were four cases of aortic aneurysm with one death. 

Of 48 cases with rheumatic heart disease which I saw from 
March to June, 1918, 35 showed involvement of the mitral 
valve only, 11 showed involvement of both mitral and aortic 
valves, one involvement of the aortic valve alone, and one 
involvement of the tricuspid valve. Three cases showed 

66 


Four Groups of Medical Patients 67 

transient acute partial heart block. Eight had acute peri¬ 
carditis. 

The discovery of a number of arrhythmias in the early 
winter of 1917-18 stimulated me to procure a Jaquet poly¬ 
graph in Paris. With this I was able to analyze several interest¬ 
ing irregularities of the heart by taking records of the pulse on 
strips of smoked paper. Three cases showed absolute irregu¬ 
larity (auricular fibrillation). Two cases showed paroxysms 
of very rapid but regular pulse. Four cases showed high 
grade heart block with very slow pulse (35+), one of which 
was temporarily complete but entirely relieved by anti¬ 
syphilitic treatment. 

In the winter and early spring of 1918, a few soldiers with 
well-marked aortic regurgitation entered the hospital, usually 
for some incidental trouble. They had no or very few cardiac 
symptoms, and had been engaged in hard work, in two or 
three cases combat duty, for months. Because of the severity 
of the condition, these patients were classified by the Disability 
Board for light duty in the Service of Supplies, or sent back 
to the U. S. A. One soldier with congenital pulmonary stenosis 
was seen. Of a group of 23 cases of acute pericarditis ob¬ 
served by me between January and June, 1918, 15 were due 
to pneumonia, 7 to rheumatism, and 1 followed trauma. Of 
one series of autopsied cases of epidemic pneumonia, 11 
showed acute pericarditis, usually with very extensive fibrinous 
exudate. 

(2) Effort Syndrome. Among the American soldiers who 
were patients at Base Hospital No. 6 effort syndrome oc¬ 
curred, but not to marked degree. The diagnosis was made 
primarily in 284 cases, but there were numerous other instances 
of complicating gassing and acute infectious disease not re¬ 
corded as effort syndrome. Most of the cases were quite mild. 
The condition consists of a functional disturbance of 
the nervous system with cardiac symptoms, usually a 
fatigue neurosis—the so-called neurasthenia with irritable 
heart. The patients were young soldiers, most of whom had 
had in civil life similar symptoms on exertion or excitement, 
but usually less in degree. Dyspnoea, palpitation, precordial 
pain and tenderness, nervousness often with tremor, faintness 
and giddiness on slight to moderate exertion or excitement 
were the symptoms complained of by the patients who on 
examination showed hearts that were normal, except for tachy- 


68 


Base Hospital No. 6 


cardia. Change of scene and avoidance of extreme physical 
and emotional strain got rid of most of the symptoms, but 
in severe cases the Disability Board classified the soldiers for 
permanent light duty in the Service of Supplies, or for return 
home to the United States. Many of these effort syndrome 
cases were trained and tested with the gassed cases in the 
convalescent wards, which I shall presently describe. 

The study of the irritable hearts gave me the opportunity 
to make a brief investigation of blood pressure. The marked 
variation in the course of the day in some cases, mainly in the 
systolic figure, was of interest. One patient with a pressure 
of 125 mm. in the morning before getting up had a pressure 
of 160 at bedtime; another with a pressure of 145 in the 
morning increased to 175 in the evening, and to 250 after a 
short, rapid walk; and so it w T ent. The opportunity arose for 
comparing the auscultatory and the oscillometric methods of 
blood pressure determination through the use of the Pachon 
oscillometer (Pachon was a professor in the University of 
Bordeaux) ; in five-sixths of the cases the systolic reading 
was higher, and in two-thirds the diastolic reading lower 
by the oscillometric method, which thus gave a larger pulse 
pressure. C. R. Tobie, a patient, and later an orderly in the 
hospital, gave me great assistance in this study. 

(3) Rheumatic Fever. In the spring of 1918 a group of 
seventy-three soldiers with rheumatic fever were assigned to 
my wards. According to expectations, a large number of 
them had large diseased tonsils, or a history of frequent tonsil¬ 
litis in the past. Half had had previous attacks of rheuma¬ 
tism; half showed evidence of endocarditis. Nearly all were 
quickly relieved by large doses of aspirin or sodium salicylate; 
oil of wintergreen externally and phenacetin failed to have 
more than slight effect. I was convinced of the practically 
specific action of the salicylates internally in acute rheumatic 
fever. 1 

(4) Gassed Cases. In the late spring of 1918 more and 
more gassed soldiers came into the hospital, and as a result 
an important problem shortly arose as to when they would 
be fit for duty again. Altogether, of the 24,254 cases admitted 
to Base Hospital No. 6, the diagnosis of gassing was made in 
1,966. Should one wait before sending them back to the 

1 A detailed report of the study of this group of seventy-three rheumatic fever patients has been 
published (American Journal of Medical Sciences , 1920, clix, 702). 


Four Groups of Medical Patients 69 

front until their skin had entirely recovered from the burns 
and their eyes from photophobia? Should one wait until the 
cough had entirely disappeared? Or until there was no longer 
marked dyspnoea or tachycardia on moderate exertion? Maj. 
Richard C. Cabot asked me to take up this problem and 
devise a method of training and testing these men. From 
June until after the armistice I was busily engaged in this work, 
more and more gassed cases entering the hospital, and more 
and more convalescents of all kinds being referred to me for 
training and testing. Satisfactory methods were devised dur¬ 
ing the summer. With the invaluable assistance of Sgt. John 
O. Moose, the large convalescent Tent Ward 100, and later 
Ward 90, were a great success. They formed a kind of con¬ 
valescent camp in the heart of the base hospital. At the time 
when the general hospital was running its largest, just before 
the armistice, with nearly 4,500 patients, I had under my charge 
at one time over 500 cases. This was far too many for one 
medical officer, of course, especially when it was necessary, as 
it was on one occasion, to discharge 150 cases and admit 100 
new ones on the same day. The paper work alone took a great 
deal of valuable time—that of one day’s discharges and admis¬ 
sions and miscellaneous duties alone requiring my signature 
about 500 times. 

In the study of the gassed cases the first problem was to 
establish a satisfactory organization and method of training 
or other aid to convalescence. The second problem was to 
determine the most satisfactory test of physical fitness under 
the circumstances. On admission of the patient to the con¬ 
valescent wards, he was examined and classified 1, 2, or 3 ( i.e 
no exercise, light exercise, moderate exercise), according to his 
general appearance, physical findings, and the length of time 
he could hold his breath. The breath-holding test proved a 
useful adjunct, inasmuch as it expressed not only the pulmonary 
irritability, but more often the stability of the nervous system. 
An important feature of fitness is the condition of the nervous 
system; if a patient with normal lungs could hold his breath 
only ten seconds he was nervously bad, and therefore unfit. 
A normal man should be able to hold his breath more than 
half a minute, usually much more nearly a whole minute. 
Malingering was rare, and with a little experience easily de¬ 
tected by careful observation of the individual. Encourage¬ 
ment was always given during the test, and helped to give 


7 o 


Base Hospital No. 6 


more uniform results. Taken with other data, the breath¬ 
holding test was useful for preliminary classification. Once 
a man was classified, he was taken in hand by the sergeant. 
Light setting-up drill in the morning was followed by light 
duty (C) in the hospital; moderate setting-up drill was fol¬ 
lowed by B duty; when a patient was ready for A or full 
duty, he was discharged back to his organization. The set¬ 
ting-up exercises were conducted by the sergeant, and I watched 
the patients closely during them. In this way I graduated 
the patients from one group to the next, and selected those who 
seemed ready for the final tests for full duty. The exercises 
were a combination of the American setting-up drill and of 
the British, described by Lewis in his work with the soldier’s 
heart. During the summer we carried on baseball games 
as additional training and tests. We staged some interesting 
contests between the wards usually twice a week, sometimes 
double-headers, and used as many substitutes as possible, so 
that we might “get a line on” as many of the men as possible. 
I sat on the side lines keeping score, and thus followed the 
activity and capacity of each player closely. These games 
added much zest and interest to convalescence and proved 
very useful as extra tests. Occasionally professional or other 
expert ball players would startle the camp by their appearance 
in the ranks of the gassed victims; they, of course, added 
much interest to the contests. The hospital duty A, B, and C 
was made up of all manner of chores, from digging graves 
to folding sponges in the operating building. At times the 
supply of workmen was much greater than the demand, in 
spite of all the work to be done about the huge hospital 
enclosure and on the farm. When there were over four 
thousand patients in the hospital, there were more than a 
thousand assigned to duty on the grounds; for several hun¬ 
dred of these it was hard to assign any jobs at all. 

Testing the patients for duty proved very interesting. 
When I began the investigation, I tried out various 
methods on several different groups—on five normal soldiers, 
five gassed, five with the “irritable heart,” and five with “shell 
shock.” Those I tried out were five respiratory tests and 
three exercise tests. The respiratory were (i) the length 
of time the breath could be held (normal about three-quarters 
to one minute) ; (2) the vital capacity, i.e., the amount of air 
that can be expelled from the chest after a full inspiration 


Four Groups of Medical Patients 71 

(normal, 4,000 to 5,000 c.c.) ; (3) the height to which a mer¬ 
cury column could be blown (normal average = 15 cm.) ; (4) 
the length of time a mercury column could be maintained at a 
given height by the breath; and (5) the amount of liquid 
(paraffin oil) that could be blown over from one bottle into 
another (normal average =150 c.c.). The exercise tests 
were (1) the effect on the pulse, blood pressure, and respira¬ 
tion of climbing two flights of stairs in one minute of time; (2) 
the effect on the general condition, pulse rate, and respiration 
of a slow run of 100 meters with the gas mask on; and (3) 
the effect of a 5 kilometer march. 1 

An interesting result of this brief study was the finding that 
those showing by far the greatest reduction in all the tests 
were the “shell shock” group, with normal hearts and lungs. 
These men, for example, might be able to hold their breath 
only five or ten seconds and yield only one or two liters vital 
capacity. 

Of all these tests, none proved all-sufficient. However, 
after several weeks we settled down to the breath-holding 
test as an aid in the original classification of the patients, and 
to the 100 meter run with the gas mask on as the most satis¬ 
factory final test of physical fitness. Daily we staged the run on 
one of the board walks; sometimes as many as thirty or 
forty were tested in an afternoon. A few weeks before the 
armistice we gave the soldier on discharge a printed card to 
fill out and return to us, telling of his condition two weeks after 
return to duty. Replies from this inquiry indicated that our 
methods were fairly satisfactory. 

The exercises and tests were used not only for gassed cases, 
but also later for all kinds of convalescents, even those with 
chest wounds. If, after several weeks of training, tests 
showed the individual incapable of active duty, he was classi¬ 
fied for light duty, or sent back to the United States by the 
Disability Board. 


1 A detailed report of our observations on these tests of physical fitness was published in the 
tAmerican Journal of Medical Sciences in June, 1920, clix, 866. 


THE LABORATORY 
Roger Kinnicutt 

T HE laboratory of Base Hospital No. 6, A. E. F., 
began to function, in a primitive way, about the 
first of September, 1917. Captains W. L. Moss 
and Roger Kinnicutt were the officers in charge, but Captain 
Moss, because of his versatility, was used in almost every 
position except in the laboratory. The original laboratory 
was in one of the medium-sized rooms in the old school 
building. This room was converted into a comfortable, prac¬ 
tical laboratory, according to plans drawn up by Captains 
Moss and Kinnicutt, and with the equipment brought over 
by the unit from the United States, together with other equip¬ 
ment of English and French make obtained from the Director 
of Laboratories, A. E. F., Colonel Siler, afforded the means 
of doing all the required routine, and many of the special 
laboratory examinations. 

The hospital laboratory for some time was the only fully 
equipped laboratory in Base Section No. 2, and so naturally 
soon became, to all intents and purposes, the laboratory for 
that section, and until a separate one was established by 
the water department of the A. E. F., all the bacterio¬ 
logical examinations of water from the wells and various water 
supplies used by the United States troops for drinking pur¬ 
poses were done at the Base Hospital. Specimens of 
water from Lyster bags in use in many of the outlying 
camps; water that had been treated with hyperchlorite, were 
sent in for examination and were found, in many instances, 
to contain large numbers of colon bacilli. This led to an 
investigation of the chlorine content of the hyperchlorite issued 
to the army, and experiments with Lyster bags filled with 
uncontaminated water, sown with cultures of B. coli, and 
treated with hyperchlorite. It was found that different tubes 
of the salt from the same lots varied greatly in the amount of 
salt contained, many being as much as fifty per cent short in 
weight, and different samples of the salt varied greatly in the 
chlorine content. Bacteriologically it was found that in many 
instances Lyster bags of water, artificially contaminated with 
B. coli, were not sterilized by the hyperchlorite issued to the 

72 


The Ice Plant 


U. S. Official 



Quartermaster Warehouse 











The Large Kitchen and Mess Halls Built by the 18th Engineers 



U. S. Official 

Interior of the Great Kitchen 













The Laboratory 


73 


troops when following the directions as given with it. This 
work was first done by Captain Kinnicutt, and later continued 
by the special water department. 

In the fall of 1917, there was a certain amount of diph¬ 
theria among the troops around Bordeaux, which involved the 
laboratory in wholesale culturing for diphtheria carriers. Cap¬ 
tain Moss eventually convinced those in authority that this 
was a useless procedure and a waste of time and material, 
much to the relief of the laboratory staff. Also in the fall 
of 1917, there were a number of cases of epidemic cerebro¬ 
spinal meningitis admitted to the hospital which also required 
wholesale culturing for carriers. The impracticability of this 
method for controlling the spread of the disease was also 
eventually recognized and allowed the laboratory time for 
other more important work. The first few cases of meningitis 
admitted to the hospital reacted quickly and favorably to the 
administration of the Massachusetts Department of Health 
anti-meningococcus serum brought over by the unit, but when 
this serum was exhausted many of the cases treated with a 
commercial serum, issued by the Medical Department of the 
army, did not react favorably, and several died. An investiga¬ 
tion of the new serum was undertaken by Captain Kinnicutt, 
and, by the use of agglutination reactions as a test, was found 
to be practically inert against the type of meningococcus which 
was found in a majority of the cases. Later it was learned 
that the horses, from which this serum was obtained, had not 
been injected with this particular group of meningococcus, the 
type B of the French classification. Other lots of serum were 
obtained from the French and British and tested in the same 
way. Some of them were good, by the laboratory tests as well 
as clinically, and some were apparently inert. From the results 
obtained in this work it became routine in the laboratory, if a 
patient with meningitis did not respond immediately to treat¬ 
ment, to test the meningococcus from the patient’s spinal 
fluid against the particular lot of serum with which he was 
being treated. 

In March, 1918, the laboratory of Base Hospital No. 6, 
as such, theoretically ceased to exist, being officially made the 
Base Laboratory for Base Section No. 2. Captains Moss 
and Kinnicutt were relieved from duty at Base Hospital No. 
6 and placed directly under the command of the Base Surgeon, 
Base Section No. 2. Captain Moss was made Director of 


74 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Laboratories and Epidemiologist for Base Section No. 2, and 
Captain Kinnicutt officer in charge of the Base Laboratory. 
Practically the character of the original laboratory did not 
change, except that it was greatly enlarged, and the personnel, 
both commissioned and enlisted, was increased. The labora¬ 
tory still did all the required work for the rapidly growing 
hospital as well as for those parts of the Base Section where 
no branch laboratories had been established. The character 
of the work done was approximately the same, except that 
it also became the distributing center for all therapeutic and 
prophylactic sera, vaccines, etc., and laboratory equipment for 
the small outlying laboratories which were eventually 
established. 

During the summer of 1918, there were many bacterio¬ 
logical examinations of dysentery stools done, as there were 
many cases of dysentery among the troops in the lumber 
camps in the Landes district to the south of Bordeaux, and 
of course in the fall and winter of 1918 the influenza epidemic 
kept everybody busy. 

In October, 1918, Captain Kinnicutt and First Lieutenant 
Binger, who, although attached to the medical service of the 
hospital, had been doing much valuable work in the laboratory, 
were sent to the camp hospital attached to one of the big 
artillery camps to study influenza pneumonia bacteriologically. 
The work and some of the results obtained were interesting, 
but they merely showed that the pneumonia secondary to influ¬ 
enza was probably due to different types of bacteria, even the 
rare group C meningococcus. 

During the winter of 1918-19, one important work of 
the laboratory was the examination of cultures from wounds 
being prepared for secondary suture. Because of the number 
of cultures to be examined, at times over one hundred a day, 
the results obtained were of no particular value from a sci¬ 
entific standpoint. No attempt was made to classify, except 
roughly, the different bacteria encountered, but a quick, ap¬ 
parently clinically satisfactory, method for deciding whether 
or not wounds should be closed was worked out. 

At the beginning of the year 1919, the original unit, Base 
Hospital No. 6, was relieved from duty, and shortly after 
Majors Moss and Kinnicutt were retransferred to the Base 
Hospital, severing their connection with the Base Laboratory. 
At this time, besides the original small laboratory, there was 


The Laboratory 


75 


a large general laboratory for Wassermann reactions, stool 
examinations, dark field work, etc.; a small laboratory for 
water analysis; and a medium-sized room fitted up as a kitchen 
for media making, adjoining which was a small room for 
storing extra equipment, sera, etc. There was also one other 
room being fitted up as a pathological laboratory, which, 
because of the ending of the war, was never completed. 


THE X-RAY DEPARTMENT 
Adelbert S. Merrill 

W HEN the organization from the Massachusetts 
General Hospital, which was to be known as Base 
Hospital No. 6, was formed, it included in its per¬ 
sonnel a roentgenologist of the first magnitude, a man whose 
ability and experience placed him on a plane with the best 
professional talent in the unit. 

Unfortunately, his ability being in greater demand in other 
fields, he was detached from the unit and in his place was 
accepted another man, a pupil of his, who endeavored to fill 
his place as best he could. 

From the beginning of the organization until the active 
participation of American troops in the war, the X-Ray De¬ 
partment had little history as a department. 

The personnel consisted of one commissioned officer, a 
sergeant, and a corporal. The latter was detached before 
actual work began, and was sent with a surgical team to the 
Italian front. Later, he was badly missed in the department. 
This left us with but one man as assistant to the roentgenologist. 
He did the work of two or three conscientiously and uncom¬ 
plainingly. Later, after the subsidence of activity at the 
front had released a number of surgical officers, an assistant 
roentgenologist was assigned to our unit. 

From the arrival of the unit at its destination in July, 1917, 
until well into the fall, the work consisted largely of remodel¬ 
ing and enlarging the French hospital. In this work the roent¬ 
genologist participated principally by submitting to the Com¬ 
manding Officer plans for the X-Ray Department and revising 
them at his order. 

The x-ray apparatus originally destined for our unit met 
with some mishap and was lost en route. Steps were imme¬ 
diately taken to replace it, but it was not until the last week 
in October that the first examination was made and the first 
plate taken. The first apparatus received was of an inferior 
type, doubtless on account of the urgency, and was always 
more or less of a handicap to good work. Later additions, 
a U. S. Army bedside transformer, and a small French portable 

76 


The X-Ray Department 


77 

machine, greatly facilitated and added to the quality of the 
work. 

In the work were encountered no radically new x-ray prob¬ 
lems, although the proportions of different classes of work 
were naturally very different from those found in civil practice. 
In the beginning, much of the material came from the labor 
organizations and other departments of Service of Supply, and 
from the large camps in our section, and especially during the 
prevalence of influenza and pneumonia was largely medical. 
Much interesting work was done, and we regret that a scarcity 
of large size plates at that time greatly limited the number 
of permanent x-ray records of these cases. A little later, 
after our boys got busy at the front, a large proportion of the 
work was the localization of foreign bodies. Much invaluable 
assistance and advice was gratefully received from our French 
colleagues, among whom Colonel Bergonie, Captain DesPlats, 
and Lieutenant Wickam were especially kind. 

The roentgenologist remembers with pleasure his associa¬ 
tion with the various officers in the medical and surgical depart¬ 
ments of the hospital, and thanks them for their cooperation 
and courtesy, and their good-natured forbearance when the 
work went badly. They were a good crowd to work with. 

The work of the X-Ray Department terminated with the 
advent of Base Hospital No. 208 which relieved the older 
unit, the new roentgenologist taking over the work late in 
December, 1918. 


NEURO-PSYCHIATRIC WORK 
George Clymer 

AS Neurologist of the unit, I was apparently considered at 
/\ first rather in the light of a supernumerary, from the 
IJL medical point of view, for before we were mobilized 
I was informed that I should probably be made mess officer, 
and was instructed to familiarize myself with his duties. 

When the officers were mobilized, I was one of a few who 
remained at Fort Strong from the beginning, and spent two 
days trudging about the down-town streets of Boston, paying 
bills that had accumulated since the enlisted men went into 
camp. 

My first difficulties were with the vouchers, two of which 
were lost at the last moment and at once balled up the accounts 
of the hospital fund. 

At sea I had no special duties, but on arrival at Bordeaux 
they began again, and, as we took the hospital over from the 
French, consisted in no small part in getting the old kitchen 
readjusted to our new requirements. These months were 
among the hardest I had in the army; but in November, after 
the patients began to arrive, our master hospital sergeant was 
commissioned and appointed mess officer, and I was relieved. 

I then went, for a short time, on the general medical serv¬ 
ice, but soon was ordered on a team for observation and in¬ 
struction to British C. C. S. No. 3, near Bapaume. Here 
Tobey and I spent two weeks, alternating night and day 
duty, filling in where we could and attending especially to the 
walking wounded. 

I was once called on, during this period, for a neurological 
opinion, which was given but not acted upon—autopsy later 
showing that my opinion had been correct. 

We got back to Bordeaux the night before Christmas, 
1917, and for the rest of that winter I was on the medical 
service, taking care chiefly of pneumonia, and seeing such 
neurological cases as were in the hospital. 

Towards spring, as the hospital grew, and the pneumonia 
decreased, I began gathering up the nerve cases in one end of 
my large medical ward, with the idea of gradually converting 
it into a neurological service. Plans were also being drawn 

78 


Neuro-Psychiatric Work 


79 


up for a special building for psychotic cases. These plans 
were never fulfilled, as our change in commanding officers 
came at about that time. 

Following this change, the office was reorganized, Leland 
became Adjutant, and I succeeded him as Company Com¬ 
mander, in addition to my other duties. Up to this time it had 
been considered that the duties of Company Commander con¬ 
stituted a full time job and, as a matter of fact, they took up 
so much time that my ward work was rather superficially 
done. Fortunately Lieut. P. C. Robertson, who had recently 
come to us as a casual officer, was a trained psychiatrist, and 
gradually took over the neuro-psychiatric work of the hospital. 

The latter part of June a few of us went to Paris for the 
monthly Red Cross medical meeting, which this time was de¬ 
voted largely to neurological subjects. There I met Col. 
Thomas L. Salmon, who told me something of his plans for 
developing a neuro-psychiatric service in Bordeaux, and said 
he was coming down within ten days to go over the situation. 
He never got there, but the end of July orders came sending 
me for a period of observation and instruction to French 
Ambulance 5-8, a neurological mobile hospital at Nubecourt, 
just back of Verdun. I was one of four neurologists from 
different base hospitals who were gathered there for instruction 
in French methods. 

Unfortunately, the French had got an impression that 
the Germans were likely to come through in that region, and 
the hospital had been evacuated just before we got there so 
that our two weeks were spent in seeing only a few cases that 
straggled in, and in seeing something of the country. We also 
spent two days in Verdun. This was during the French occu¬ 
pancy before any American troops had moved in. 

Colonel Salmon soon found that the trip was not turning 
out to be what he had hoped, and sent us, at the end of our 
two weeks, to Base Hospital No. 117—the only American 
hospital planned exclusively for functional neurological cases. 
There we reported for temporary duty on August 17. 

This unit, organized in America for overseas work with 
neurological cases, landed in Liverpool on May 9, 1918, at 
that time consisting of twelve officers, one hundred and sixty- 
five enlisted men, and sixty-five nurses. At Savenay, where 
they arrived on June 11, they were split and a neurological 
center was formed as a part of Base Hospital No. 8, to which 


80 Base Hospital No. 6 

at that time all psychiatric cases from the A. E. F. were sup¬ 
posed to be sent. 

On June 16, 1918, the rest of the unit, consisting of six offi¬ 
cers, ninety-six enlisted men, and twenty-four nurses, arrived 
at La Fauche and took over Camp Hospital No. 4, a 
group of barracks with a capacity of about three hundred 
beds. This hospital had, for a short time, been occupied 
by one or two officers with a few enlisted men who were 
sent there to take care of such neurological cases as arrived 
before the unit. It had been built early for the use of 
troops and was most primitive in its construction and arrange¬ 
ment. It was very soon evident that it was much too small, 
and in July and August, by the addition of tents in the rear 
of the barracks, the capacity was considerably increased. Later 
it was planned to have barracks to accommodate a thousand 
beds, and at the time of the armistice this was being put into 
effect, but was never quite completed. 

Within half a mile of the hospital proper, there were some 
French barracks which were taken over for use as a conva¬ 
lescent camp for such patients as needed no further medical 
or psychiatric supervision, but who required a certain amount 
of training before being sent back to duty. This camp was 
under the immediate direction of Lieut. Harry K. Durkin, a 
recent graduate of the Massachusetts General Hospital, who 
was one of the most energetic and able of the officers at the 
hospital. It was proposed to increase the capacity of this camp 
to a thousand beds, also, and with the addition of tents, the 
whole hospital could probably have been enlarged to twenty- 
five hundred or three thousand beds. 

The Commanding Officer at Base Hospital No. 117 was 
Lieut. Col. C. R. Bell, M. C., to whom we reported on arrival. 
Harry Durkin was the only man whom I knew there, and 
I was assigned to his ward as his assistant for instruction, 
though I had previously been his teacher in neurology at the 
medical school. Capt. Sidney I. Schwab, who was chief of 
service, took us to his quarters, on the evening of our arrival, 
and gave us the first of a series of very interesting talks on his 
ideas of the mechanism of the war neuroses. It was interesting 
to see how closely his conceptions followed the Freudian mech¬ 
anisms in everything except their dependence upon the sex 
element. 


Neuro-Psychiatric Work 


Within a comparatively short time, as the hospital was 
growing fairly fast, I was given a ward of my own, consisting 
of a barrack of thirty-five beds, and two tents of twenty beds 
each, and here I settled down to what was probably my most 
satisfactory period in the army. 

Our instructions from Captain Schwab were to spend as 
much time on each case as was necessary to get results, re¬ 
gardless of how many others were kept waiting. He felt that 
in this type of work it was not possible to rush through the 
routine of the ordinary hospital work. He left the entire 
responsibility of handling the patients to the individual ward 
physicians, but made daily rounds when he was ready to take 
up any problems that might be presented to him. In this way 
he developed a very good medical atmosphere and all the offi¬ 
cers worked hard and conscientiously. The results, of course, 
varied according to the training, attitude, and personality of 
the individual man in charge, and as time went on, some of the 
original members of the staff were detached, either to be sent 
to other hospitals or to combat divisions. Work was increas¬ 
ing and more doctors were needed, so that before our two 
weeks were up our time was extended for an additional five 
or six weeks. 

During this time, Colonel Salmon changed his plans 
for developing a neurological center in Bordeaux, and I 
was told that I was to be transferred to the staff of Base 117. 
These orders, however, were delayed, and on October 2 I 
started back to Base Hospital No. 6, just as the “Flu” epi¬ 
demic was reaching its height in Bordeaux, and for the next 
three weeks I was back on the medical service trying to take 
care of four wards of “Flu” patients. 

Finally my transfer orders came through and I went back 
to No. 117, reporting for duty on October 29, and again took 
up the service that I had dropped. Maj. Frederick W. 
Parsons had succeeded to the command of this hospital, during 
my temporary stay there, and Captain Schwab had become 
Major. On October 15, I was promoted to Captain. 

I think it was Colonel Salmon’s intention to have all the 
officers in the neuro-psychiatric section at least pass through, 
and spend some time at Base 117 in order to become familiar 
with the type of cases we were having, and the way in which 
they were being handled. While desirable from the point 


82 


Base Hospital No. 6 


of view of giving these men experience, it rather broke up the 
standard of work being done at the hospital, for, as the work 
increased, more responsibility had to be given to men who 
had had comparatively little training. In spite of this, I 
can remember now only two officers, having any special re¬ 
sponsibility, who were conspicuously inefficient and whose work 
with the patients showed no insight and was of no value. On 
the whole, they took hold well, and were more or less deeply 
interested in the work that they were doing. 

A special classification, devised by Major Schwab, for use 
in the hospital simply for the convenience of the medical 
officers, was as follows: 

Psychasthenia 
Concussion Neurosis 
Hypochondriasis 
Concussion Syndrome 
Effort Syndrome 
Timorousness 

(State of anxiety) 


Psychoneurosis 
(Not classified) 
Hysteria 
Neurasthenia 
Exhaustion 
Anxiety Neurosis 
Gas Neurosis 
Anticipation Neurosis 


On admission, all patients were diagnosed psychoneurosis. 
The final diagnosis, according to the special hospital classifi¬ 
cation, was not made until they were boarded for discharge. 

The disability board, together with the whole medical 
staff, sat every afternoon at one o’clock. Every patient prior 
to discharge was presented by his medical officer before 
the board, where his diagnosis was discussed by the staff 
and either accepted or corrected by the board. In this way 
there was what amounted to a general clinic every afternoon. 
We also had meetings once a week in the evening, at which 
subjects of special interest were brought up and discussed in 
more detail. 


The diagnoses of cases varied from frank hysteria 
with motor and sensory paralyses, blindness, mutism, deafness, 
and tremors, to all phases of phobias, anxieties, and ordinary 
neurasthenic breakdowns. Many of them had never been 
in combat at all. Some showed typical anticipation neuroses, 
in which they had characteristic signs of what they had under¬ 
stood to be shell shock, merely as a result of their fear of 
what might happen to them. Others had breakdowns purely 
as a result of the strain of military life to which they were 


Neuro-Psychiatric Work 


83 

unable to adapt themselves; others as a result of their tre¬ 
mendous responsibilities. 

It was said that the anxiety states were characteristic of 
officers, and the hysterias, characteristic of the enlisted men. 
This, however, did not work out practically, as many privates 
and non-commissioned officers had profound anxiety states, 
and some of the officers, typical hysterias. The way in which 
the cases were handled was, as much as possible, similar to 
the way in which they would be handled at home. We tried in 
each case to get the confidence of the patient, and as far as 
possible, to learn what really was back of his breakdown. 

One man, who had previously had a good record and was 
carrying a good deal of responsibility, went to pieces shortly 
after a visit to Paris. It took some time to work his case 
out, but eventually it developed that before going into the 
army, he had planned to go into the ministry. During his 
trip to Paris he succumbed to temptation which was not in 
keeping with his previous ambitions and standards of life. 
The worry which followed his experience was the cause of his 
“shell shock.” 

Many other men had worries about home. Some, because 
they knew there was sickness at home and they had no mail; 
others, because they got mail giving bad news, but could get 
no communications home. Some men, who had always been 
efficient in civil life, and had never given any indication of 
being emotionally unstable, went to pieces apparently, simply 
as a result of the hardship, exposure, and at times, hunger 
and thirst to which they were subjected. It is not fair to 
say that these men were cowards. Many of them performed 
deeds of conspicuous heroism for which they had been 
decorated. 

It has been stated that when the armistice was signed, 
all these patients got well at once. I did not see this happen. 
I did not see any hysterias get well spontaneously at this time. 
The tension, in some of the anxiety cases, undoubtedly was 
lessened a good deal, and shortly after, some of the men, who 
would not have been fit for combat duty, asked to be returned 
to their organizations, as they had a pride in being sent home 
with them rather than as casuals. We tried as far as possible 
to encourage this, in order to get the men back to a self- 
respecting basis before they went home. In this we had rather 
an unfortunate experience, for a stop-order on transportation 


8 4 


Base Hospital No. 6 


of patients came through fairly soon, and for a number of 
weeks we were not allowed to evacuate any of them. 

By this time a large proportion of men were cured, or at 
least, they became well enough to return to their organizations 
under non-combat conditions. 

Of course, it must be realized that in an army gathered 
together as ours was, even with the attempt that was made at 
eliminating the nervously unfit, there was bound to be a cer¬ 
tain proportion who never would have been of any value, 
either as combat material, or for any other position requiring 
responsibility. 

After the armistice we began to get an influx of mental 
defectives who had been kept on while the press for men 
existed, but, when this pressure let up, their commanding 
officers were glad to take any excuse to get rid of them. In 
this way, the character of the patients in hospital after the 
armistice began to change, and with the addition of this ele¬ 
ment, for whom we could not expect to do anything, as they 
never had been any good, the general atmosphere of the hos¬ 
pital began to deteriorate. Officers, as well as patients, began 
to get restless, and when orders finally came for me to return 
to my own unit, for transfer to the United States, they were 
very welcome. 

As a matter of interest, the following data and tables, 
which I obtained from the official record of Base Hospital No. 

117 in the Surgeon General’s office in Washington, are inserted. 

From the time that the hospital opened, on June 16, 1918, 
until it was finally closed, on January 31, 1919, the total num¬ 
ber of admissions was 3,268, of whom one hundred and sixty- 
two were admitted twice, and four three times. Of these, 
two hundred and ninety-five were ordinary illnesses developed 
at the post, not cases of psychoneurosis. 

On October 31, 1918, which was close to the height of the 
activities of the hospital, the count showed six hundred and 
eighty-five enlisted men, sixty officers, one nurse, and one re¬ 
construction aid, sick in hospital. 

The staff at that time consisted of twenty-four officers, 
one dentist, one chaplain, thirty nurses, one hundred and eight 
enlisted men, and nine reconstruction aids. 

By December 31, the number of patients had fallen to 
ninety-one. The staff on duty had hardly changed, except 


Neuro-Psychiatric Work 


85 

that we had sixty nurses instead of thirty. The following 
table shows an analysis of the diagnoses and disposition of 
2,590 of the total number of patients. 


Analysis of Disposition of 2,590 Cases 



Total 

Admitted 

Class 

A 

Discharged 

B C 

D 

Transferred 

Hysteria 

717 

123 

211 

306 

68 

9 

Concussion Neurosis 

573 

129 

315 

102 

17 

IO 

Neurasthenia . 

3 H 

29 

87 

I 5 1 

37 

IO 

Hypochondriasis 

97 

6 

II 

59 

21 

O 

Exhaustion 

*39 

4i 

79 

16 

1 

2 

Concussion Syndrome . 

258 

79 

142 

18 

1 

18 

Anxiety Neurosis . 

174 

18 

79 

70 

5 

2 

Effort Syndrome 

57 

6 

25 

19 

3 

4 

Gas Neurosis 

5 i 

13 

24 

11 

3 

0 

Timorousness 

52 

12 

9 

25 

3 

3 

Psychasthenia 

40 

5 

6 

20 

8 

1 

Anticipation Neurosis 

29 

1 

4 

20 

2 

2 

Not Classified 

89 

46 

20 

7 

2 

14 


2,590 

508 

1,012 

824 

171 

75 


20% 39 % 33 % 6% 3% 


59% 

9i% 

* On account of medical condition. 

I got back to Bordeaux the early part of January, but 
just before sailing orders for the unit came through, new 
orders arrived, sending me to Savenay. There at Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 214 I spent about three weeks, working up a group 
of patients for transfer to the United States. 

This hospital, under the command of Maj. Sanger Brown, 
was practically the neuro-psychiatric clearing house of the 
A. E. F., developed from the psychiatric department of Base 
Hospital No. 8, formed originally by that part of Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 117 which had been left at Savenay in June, 1918, 
and through it passed most of the nervous and mental patients 
that still remained in France. Maj. Arthur H. Ruggles, now 
head of Butler Hospital, Providence, was Chief of Service 



















86 Base Hospital No. 6 

during most of the time I was there, and proved a valiant 
leader. 

Toward the end of February an order for a convoy of 
three hundred and fifty patients came, and I was sent with 
them, in company with my former commanding officer, now 
Lieut. Col. Frederick W. Parsons, and Lieut. Col. Charles 
W. Stone. We went to St. Nazaire on a hospital train, where 
we boarded the transport Aeolus, formerly a German liner. 

After we got on board it looked as if our troubles had 
only just begun, for the ship’s surgeon told us that they 
expected only twenty-five nervous and mental patients, as that 
was all the ship was supposed to take, and owing to the 
fact that they had recently had two unfortunate accidents 
with mental patients, the ship’s captain was unwilling to take 
any more. In order to appease him we made up a schedule 
whereby each of us was to stand watch with the patients 
for four hours in every twelve, and we agreed to take full 
responsibility in order to prevent any accident which might 
reflect on the captain. 

We were delayed in sailing on account of not having 
enough coal, and until we actually got away we did not know 
whether or not we were to be put off. We finally did get 
away and came home via the Azores, where we put in for 
three days to coal, eventually landing with all our patients, 
without accident, at Newport News on March 13, 1919. 

We were held up there for three days by the red tape of 
getting our fifty medical corps men paid off, and then de¬ 
parted for Camp Dix, where we hoped to get our discharges. 
There our hopes disappeared, as we were told that neurolo¬ 
gists were not being discharged. 

Colonel Stone and I got a forty-eight hour pass and went 
to Washington, where he was told that he had too much rank 
to be of any more use in the army; but I was not so fortunate, 
and was sent for duty to U. S. A. General Hospital No. 10, 
Parker Hill, Boston. 

Here I reported for duty on March 19, and for the next 
three months worked with the peripheral nerve injuries, on 
which Major Cotton was operating; finally getting my dis¬ 
charge when the hospital closed on June 19, 1919. 


OPHTHALMOLOGICAL WORK 
Ralph A. Hatch 


F OR several months at the beginning of our service in 
France our Eye Department was the only one in our 
section of the country and covered a large territory. 
The patients, like those coming to the other departments 
of the hospital, were from the engineering, forestry, and dock 
construction outfits which were preparing the way for the 
growing A. E. F. 

Even from this large field the amount of work was not 
great. So the Eye Surgeon, in order that he might earn his 
pay, was given other duties and titles, including those of 
Post Exchange Officer, Physician to Nurses, Physician to 
French Employees, and the care of several medical wards, 
including eighty-five cases isolated for mumps during an 
epidemic. 

We took on and continued throughout our service the 
care of the Canadian and British troops in the district, and bi¬ 
weekly visits were made to Facture, the headquarters of the 
Canadian Forestry Corps. A large percentage of the men 
in this work had been transferred to it because of eye defects. 

In March, 1918, Captain Matheson, of Unit O, came to 
our department, but he was soon afterward sent to Camp 
Souge. 

When Base Hospital No. 3 came into the section, their Eye 
Surgeon was detached much of the time, so bad cases were 
sent to us during his absence. 

Later, as other base and camp hospitals gradually came 
into the section, they took over the work of their own localities, 
but we continued to look after the “Bordeaux sector” and 
numerous camps, including the American forestry camps at 
Dax and vicinity, to which visits were made as required. 

In the summer of 1918 the influx of battle casualties began 
in earnest. With the hospital growing to 4,300 beds, a large 
out-patient clinic and the incidental duties of a military or¬ 
ganization, the work soon reached a point where it could not 
be handled satisfactorily by one man. 

An eye ward of fifty-five beds, for the worst cases, was 
87 


88 


Base Hospital No. 6 


established. Ordinary gas cases, surgical and medical cases 
with eye complications were treated in their own wards. 

The routine treatment of gassed eyes consisted of irriga¬ 
tion with sodium bicarbonate solution, followed by oil—liquid 
petrolatum or olive oil. This gave the most relief, the 
oil probably tending to protect the cornea. The later cases 
were given cold douches and encouraged to overcome the 
photophobia. Probably ten to twenty per cent showed corneal 
involvement, with various degrees of opacity. In some the 
opacity persisted as long as they were under observation. 

One gas case was totally blinded. He probably received 
a splash from a shell close by. One eye was enucleated be¬ 
cause of sloughing of the cornea; the vision of the other was 
reduced to imperfect light perception, because of dense corneal 
opacity and probable deeper lesions. 

The wounded cases were, of course, of great variety. Some 
of them stand out in memory now, after more than a year. 
There were several through and through wounds of both 
orbits, with one eye gone and more or less damage to the other. 
Two had had both eyes enucleated at evacuation hospitals. In 
one a shell fragment, perhaps 4x8 mm., lying well back in 
the orbit, against the optic nerve, was removed and a normal 
appearing eye, with a little vision, preserved. 

A lieutenant of the Dental Corps, wounded while doing 
battalion surgery, may well be mentioned, though not wholly 
an eye case. A bullet had entered the right mastoid region 
and emerged through the left orbit, taking the eye with it. 
A mastoid infection developed, and he had other wounds. 
He came serenely through these afflictions and in a few weeks 
was one of the liveliest men in the hospital. He went home 
with an artificial eye and a right facial paralysis, but otherwise 
in good health and wonderful spirits. 

It is a matter of record that there were fewer than one 
hundred men totally blinded in the whole A. E. F. Of these, 
eight passed through our hands. These included the gas case 
and the two orbit cases above mentioned, and others with 
multiple penetrating injuries, detached retinae, etc. 

There were at one time, in the ward, sixteen men with 
one or both eyes enucleated, and others came in as these were 
boarded or sent home. 

Artificial eyes were received from time to time from the 
American base at Paris. It was always a great event when 



Thanksgiving Day, 1917 

Officers’ Dinner in French Pavilion Ward, Talence 











Enlisted Men’s Quarters 


U. S. Official 



The Barracks Built by the French 














Ophthalmological Work 89 

a new squad was fitted out with them. The assortment was 
not all that could be desired. Sometimes an exchange of eyes 
after trial resulted in mutual satisfaction. 

In the fall of 1918 an instructor for the blind was sent to 
us, who did excellent work in teaching and entertaining the 
men. 

One might think that refraction would not be a large part 
of the eye work in an expeditionary force in war time, but this 
is far from the fact. In the rush of the draft many serious eye 
defects were overlooked. Also large numbers of men requir¬ 
ing glasses came over with one pair of rimless spectacles or a 
delicate pince-nez, perhaps from a prescription several years 
old. These soon got into trouble. 

At first, prescription work had to be sent to local French 
opticians. This was most unsatisfactory. In July, 1918, an 
Optical Detachment arrived in France, set up a shop in Paris, 
and sent out eight “optical units” to different centers. One 
of these was assigned to us, and it was a great blessing. It 
consisted of two enlisted men, trained opticians, with a good 
assortment of lenses, a supply of excellent frames and tools 
for repairing. 

In the busy time our own refraction cases reached 250 a 
month. Our optical unit also filled prescriptions from many 
other hospitals in the district. Their stock was soon depleted 
and, though the shop in Paris was running night and day, it 
could not be kept up. 

After the armistice much of the time was spent in receiv¬ 
ing patients for transportation home. 

The first of February, Captain Lesser came to relieve the 
Eye Surgeon, who then began to pack his trunk for the 
United States. 


EAR, NOSE, AND THROAT SERVICE 
Harold G. Tobey 

T HE ear, nose, and throat service of the hospital had a 
very varied career, as is true of the members of the other 
services. For some strange reason the service was sus¬ 
pected of being able to make itself understood in French, and 
therefore must interview the Mayor of Talence as to where 
gravel was to be obtained. This began the intimate acquaintance 
of the service with the word “grave,” which was to stand it 
in good stead during long, monotonous days. The word 
“grave,” with the suffix “superieur ” served to pass many 
happy hours. Thus was the monotony of the service broken 
by many odd jobs, such as admitting officer and detraining 
officer, to say nothing of censoring letters. 

The service soon established an out-patient department in 
the rear wing of the old Lycee building together with the eye 
department. It may be significant that this room was next to 
the morgue. The first ward beds were established on one side 
of old Ward io in the French annex. This served during 
the winter and into the spring, when the demand for more 
beds and readjustment of the hospital resulted in a move to 
Ward 20, which was just over the O. P. D. 

Up to the time of the active participation of the American 
troops in the fighting, Base Hospital No. 6 was the only one 
in Base Section No. 2 which boasted special services. There¬ 
fore, we drew a large civil practice from the rapidly increasing 
number of troops which were being stationed in this area. 
The O. P. D. was growing rapidly, and this work consumed 
a large part of the morning. Ward work was also increasing, 
which, together with a growing number of consultations all 
over a widespread hospital, kept the service on the jump. 

At about this time we were fortunate in having Miss 
Romani, a graduate of the Massachusetts Charitable Eye and 
Ear Infirmary, assigned to the service. Her faithful and very 
efficient work lightened the burden of the daily dressings. 
Miss Townsend, formerly head nurse in the throat depart¬ 
ment at the Massachusetts General Hospital, was also assigned 
to the service as operating room nurse, and gave all the 
anaesthetics with great skill. She deserves great credit, as 

90 


• 9i 


Ear, Nose, and Throat Service 

anaesthesia for nose and throat operating is an extremely 
specialized work. 

Dare we confess that, as members of the Massachusetts 
General Hospital—the home of the discovery of ether—we 
used chloroform freely to induce anaesthesia? This was due 
to untold delays in obtaining orderlies to be present at the 
time of beginning anaesthesia, and the lack of nitrous oxide. 
Perhaps we were fortunate that in over two hundred anaesthe¬ 
sias induced in this way, there was not a single accident or any 
incident to cause us uneasiness. 

In June of 1918, Lieut. Horace G. Tangeman was at¬ 
tached to the service and took over the O. P. D. Shortly after 
this the ward was transferred to the new building which had 
been completed, and we were finally settled in Ward 30 for 
the remainder of our stay. 

During October, November, and December of 1918, the 
special work was largely turned over to Lieutenant Tangeman, 
and we took over three general surgical wards of ambulatory 
patients, at the same time maintaining a supervision of the 
special work. This situation was maintained until we were 
relieved early in January. 

Large numbers of patients were cared for in the O. P. D. 
These were chiefly ordinary civil practice types of cases. 
Toward the end, a great many were sent from other services 
for minor ailments. The only unusual cases were those of 
gassed men who came for treatment of the larynx and trachea. 

In the wards about seven hundred cases were treated. 
These, also, were largely the same types as are treated in civil 
practice. This was probably due to the fact that most of the 
wounds of the head were sent to the special hospitals which 
were established for that purpose near the front. 

One radical and fifty simple mastoid operations were 
performed. In these fifty cases there were an unusual 
number of complications due to the advanced stages of 
the suppurative process upon admission. There were seven 
cases of septic meningitis, of which five died and two recovered. 
There were five cases of septic sinus thrombosis, all of which 
recovered. One of particular interest was that in which both 
lateral sinuses were incised and blocked, and one jugular was 
tied. There have been only four other such cases reported in 
the literature. 

Three cases of peri-sinus abscesses occurred and two of 


92 


Base Hospital No. 6 


extra-dural abscess. In connection with this large number of 
complications of acute otitis media, it is of interest to note 
that of the numerous cases which occurred in the hospital, 
only one went on to mastoid infection. 

One hundred and sixty-three tonsillectomies were per¬ 
formed, with one death. This death followed operation for 
a peritonsillar abscess. No untoward accident occurred during 
the operation. The patient did not recover consciousness after 
the operation, and died five hours later. Autopsy did not 
reveal the cause. The average stay in the hospital for all 
cases of tonsillectomy was twelve days. 

Forty-one submucous resections of the nasal septum were 
done with no complications. 

Fifty-one operations on the nasal accessory sinuses were 
performed without complications. 

The average stay in hospital for 163 cases of acute tonsil¬ 
litis was 9.1 days. 

Three tracheotomies were performed; one for laryngeal 
diphtheria and two for gunshot wounds of the larynx. 

Although a very complete set of oesophageal and broncho- 
scopic instruments were at hand, no occasion arose for their 
use. One foreign body in a bronchus was coughed up the 
evening before operation with much damage to our records. 

We should like to add that in the experience of this service, 
malingering was almost unknown, up to the signing of the armis¬ 
tice. After this time almost any complaint of which nothing 
had been heard before was brought out and aired as a pos¬ 
sible excuse for sending its victim home. In fact, it became 
almost a game, and no animosity was shown when it was found 
that the game was up. 


ORTHOPEDIC SERVICE 
Henry C. Marble 

W HEN Base Hospital No. 6 was organized, sailed 
for France, and first took up its work at Bordeaux, 
the Orthopedic Service was under the immediate 
direction of Capt. Z. B. Adams. 

During the first months of the establishment of the hos¬ 
pital in Bordeaux, Captain Adams busied himself, not only 
with the organization of the Orthopedic Service, but with 
establishing and getting together the mass of the equipment 
for the proper carrying on of the work. Balkan frames, 
Thomas splints, weights, pulleys, and all the various appur¬ 
tenances that go with the care of bone and joint injuries were 
made, and stored in rooms provided for the purpose. 

During the fall and winter of 1917 the orthopedic wards 
were small and contained only a small number of patients, 
entirely under the care of Captain Adams. In January, 1918, 
he was detached from Base 6, and sent with the Recon¬ 
struction Division of the 26th Division; and in April the 
writer was detailed to duty with the 20th Engineers, Dax, 
for two months. During this time the orthopedic cases were 
for a while under the care of Lieut, (later Capt.) George 
A. Leland, Jr., and later under the care of Capt. Henry G. 
Turner, of Unit O, who had had an intensive, short orthopedic 
course before sailing overseas. 

When the more serious cases began to arrive in the hos¬ 
pital, little by little the bone cases were segregated in Wards 
6, 7, and 8, or thereabouts, and it was decided at once that it 
was necessary to have more adequate accommodations for 
these cases. They were then moved to a set of wards in 
Group 3, and placed under my care. These were wooden 
buildings beginning with Ward 24, and extending to Ward 31. 
They had been built by Colonel Washburn and were of the 
monitor type of building, of ample width, moderate height, 
and although designed to hold thirty patients, it soon became 
necessary to put forty, and later in the war as many as fifty 
in each ward. They were lighted by electricity, and heated by 
two large stoves. They had a dressing room on one side and 
a diet kitchen on the other. 


93 


94 


Base Hospital No. 6 


As the summer of 1918 wore on, these wards became 
filled with bone and joint cases, and it was at this time that 
orders were issued designating them as the Orthopedic 
Department, with the writer as head of the service. All 
the appliances which had been prepared by Captain Adams 
were now put in use, and here in this small group of wards 
could be found between three and four hundred cases of bone 
injury. There was a nurse in charge of each ward, and under 
her were orderlies. In view of the large amount of work, 
it became necessary for the nurses to do practically all the 
dressings, and the load they were called upon to bear was 
tremendous, mainly because of the scarcity of medical officers. 
In some wards there were as many as fourteen or fifteen 
compound fractures of the femur, all in balkan frames 
with weights, pulleys, and splints, and with septic wounds to 
dress. 

Being held responsible for the care of this great number 
of patients, it was necessary to obtain help from various hos¬ 
pital corps men, and during this strenuous period there were 
assigned to the Orthopedic Service several, who although not 
medically trained, aided in caring for the wounded. These 
men became quite expert in the care of fractures, and equally 
expert in the making and application of fracture appliances. 
With these diligent young soldiers it was possible to keep this 
large group of patients moving along smoothly. 

During the latter part of the summer, two groups of Re¬ 
construction Aides were attached to our organization. The 
first group had to do with massage and physiotherapy. They 
massaged the wounded limbs, gave the soldiers exercises, and 
by these means started the injured members back to normal 
function. The work was hard and the hours were long, but 
they were interested in the work and the results were most 
gratifying. 

The second group were the Occupational Aides. Their 
work was the establishing of bedside occupations, and in a 
small way vocational training. Some of the wards were liter¬ 
ally bee-hives of industry, and the wounded men who had 
been lying in bed, some of them for months without occupa¬ 
tion, or any way of filling in the long hours, now had work 
to do. They made toys, baskets, and paintings. Distinctly 
the whole tone of the ward was changed, and these idle hours 
became most profitable. 


Orthopedic Service 


95 


Patients usually arrived direct from a field hospital or 
from a hospital in the advanced field zone. They came on 
hospital trains, and were transported from the trains in am¬ 
bulances to the hospital receiving room. Here they were 
sorted by the Receiving Officer, and the bone and joint injuries 
were assigned to the Orthopedic Service. Usually when the 
patients arrived in the wards all dressings were taken down, 
and records of the case, which usually came in a small envelope 
around the patient’s neck, read and studied. The dressings 
were reapplied, and the patients were sent at once to the x-ray 
department for pictures. The splints were readjusted and 
the patients generally suspended in balkan frames. The usual 
routine was to treat the open wounds by the Carrell-Dakin 
method, and the subsequent dressings were as a rule carried on 
by the nurse in charge of the ward. The splinting and the care 
of the balkan frames and the other apparatus on the patient 
was detailed to the men of the hospital corps. In many of 
these cases major surgical operations had to be done, cleaning 
up infected areas, removing shell fragments, and loose pieces 
of bone. Following these operations the after care consisted 
in reestablishing the Carrell-Dakin routine and the resplinting 
of the members. The wounds being healed, and the alignment 
of the fractures being satisfactory, the patients were then 
loaded into litters and sent directly to hospital ships in Bor¬ 
deaux Harbor for their transportation to the United States. 

It was not until February i, 1919, that Base Hospital 
No. 6 was relieved, and the Orthopedic Service turned over 
to the relief organization, Base Hospital No. 208. 


EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES IN BASE 
SECTION NO. 2 
William L. Moss 

H OW I won the War” might serve as a common title 
to most of the accounts of personal experiences in 
the World War, and Unit Histories might equally 
well be written under the distinguishing title, “History of 
the Best Base Hospital Unit in the A. E. F.” The definitive 
number might follow in parenthesis for the information of 
such individuals as were not fortunate enough to be members 
of the unit in question. 

Of course everybody knows that Base Hospital No. 6 
was really the best base hospital, and contributed more to 
the winning of the war than any other unit; that is, everybody 
who was a member of Base Hospital No. 6 knows it, and 
writing (as well as reading) the history of the unit becomes 
much simpler if we merely take that fact for granted. 

The organization of Base Hospital No. 6 was complete 
as an independent unit. It had its medical and surgical serv¬ 
ices, x-ray department, laboratory, quartermaster stores, medi¬ 
cal and surgical supplies, commissioned, nursing, and enlisted 
personnel, all under the command of one of the most experi¬ 
enced hospital superintendents in the United States, who com¬ 
bined with his hospital experience a knowledge of the war 
game acquired in Cuba and the Philippines during the Spanish- 
American War. 

The differences between a civil and a military hospital 
are perhaps not at once apparent to a layman, as they were 
not at once apparent to the medical officers who went into 
the service from civil life. The attitude which prevailed 
among these officers in the beginning was that they were 
physicians, not soldiers, and that if they had professional 
skill (about which none of them seemed to have any doubt) 
the rest was of no consequence. We soon changed our attitude 
on that point, at least those did who found their niche and 
fitted themselves into it. Some may still question whether the 
military organization is the best or the wisest one, but it 
was soon apparent that for every one to constitute himself a 
reformer in the army would quickly spell chaos, failure, and 

96 


Epidemiology in Base Section No. 2 


97 

ruin; also that it was up to us to play the game according to 
the rules. Probably the doctors needed to learn the lessons 
of discipline and respect for authority just as much as anybody 
else in the army. 

The chief difference between running a large civil hospital 
and a military hospital of corresponding size is the compara¬ 
tive uniformity of the rate of admissions and discharges in a 
civil hospital as contrasted with the periodic accession of 
large numbers of patients coming in convoys to a military hos¬ 
pital, and the consequent necessity of having an adequate 
number of beds ready for these rapidly recurring emergencies. 
How this situation was met and solved, the development 
of crisis expansion, the establishment of convalescent camps, 
etc., will doubtless be described elsewhere in this history. 

The writer’s story has to do with the establishment of 
the Base Laboratory, and the Department of Epidemiology. 

BASE HOSPITAL NO. 6 LABORATORY 

The laboratory under the direction of Capt. Roger Kinni- 
cutt, M. C. (later Major Kinnicutt), was thoroughly organ¬ 
ized and equipped to do all the laboratory work for the 
intelligent diagnosis and treatment of all the patients that 
the hospital might receive. 

The routine chemical, microscopical, and bacteriological 
examination of urine, sputum, feces, blood, spinal fluid, and 
other tissues was provided for, as was also serological diag¬ 
nosis, including Wassermann, agglutination tests for typhoid, 
paratyphoids, and the typing of dysentery bacilli, pneumococci 
and meningococci. 

A large, well-lighted room was fitted up with the neces¬ 
sary desks, shelving, tables, refrigerators, gas, electricity, run¬ 
ning water, and other conveniences, so that we had practically 
all the facilities that are provided in a well-appointed labora¬ 
tory anywhere. Thus were the laboratory needs of the hos¬ 
pital supplied; but meanwhile troops were pouring into the 
Base Section, camps were being established, the work of con¬ 
structing docks, railroads, warehouses, etc., going forward. 
Base Section No. 2 comprised about a sixth of France, and 
organizations consisting of a few hundred to twenty or thirty 
thousand men were widely scattered over a large area. Of 
course each organization had its medical officers, and most 
of them had camp hospitals or infirmaries, but few organiza- 


Base Hospital No. 6 


98 

tions except base hospitals were provided with experienced 
laboratory officers, and practically none with laboratory facili¬ 
ties. Thus it might happen that in a camp of twenty thousand 
men there would be no means of making a bacteriological diag¬ 
nosis of typhoid fever, meningitis, diphtheria, etc. In order 
to meet this situation, it was decided to establish in each base 
section a base laboratory, which would be equipped to do all 
the more highly specialized laboratory work for the entire 
base section. The writer was appointed Director of the Base 
Laboratory, Base Section No. 2, and after consultation with 
Colonel Siler, Director of Laboratories for the A. E. F., Colo¬ 
nel Shaw, Chief Surgeon, Base Section No. 2, Colonel Wash¬ 
burn and Major Kinnicutt, of Base Hospital No. 6, it was 
decided that Base Hospital No. 6 Laboratory should be ex¬ 
panded and become the laboratory for the Base Section, but at 
the same time, in addition to its other duties, should continue 
to function as the laboratory for Base Hospital No. 6. 

The decision to make Base Hospital No. 6 Laboratory 
the laboratory for the Base Section was reached because of its 
central location with reference to the activities of the Base 
Section, the admirable rooms, equipment, and other facilities 
which Colonel Washburn placed at our disposal, and the nucleus 
of a competent laboratory staff. The laboratory rapidly ex¬ 
panded from a single room with two medical officers and two 
enlisted men to a fully equipped plant, consisting of a store¬ 
room, office, media kitchen, pathological laboratory, bacteri¬ 
ological laboratory, clinical laboratory, water laboratory, au¬ 
topsy room and morgue, and an animal house large enough 
to provide space for more than a thousand laboratory animals. 
The staff consisted of about ten officers and ten enlisted men. 
In spite of its admirable equipment and staff, it soon became 
apparent that the Base Laboratory was not fulfilling the func¬ 
tion for which it was established. This was not due to the 
large number of troops which it was supposed to serve—over 
200,000—but to the great area over which they were scat¬ 
tered, and the difficulties of transportation. Limoges was 
eighty miles to the north, Perigueux, ninety miles to the east, 
Biarritz, one hundred miles to the south; Mont Morillion, 
La Courtine, Lyons, were more than a hundred miles away. The 
transportation difficulties even from such places as Camp de 
Souge, St. Sulpice, St. Andre de Cubsac, Bassens, Lormont, 
and Grange Neuve, all within a radius of fifteen or twenty 


99 


Epidemiology in Base Section No. 2 

miles, were so great as to make our service to these places un¬ 
satisfactory. Nevertheless this elaborate plant was kept busy 
from morning till night, day in and day out, and fully justified 
its existence (with the exception of the pathological labora¬ 
tory), as will appear from a description of its activities. 

Specimens from the operating and autopsy rooms were 
cut with a freezing microtome in the bacteriological labora¬ 
tory. The pathological laboratory was added to receive and 
prepare museum specimens for shipment to the States in ac¬ 
cordance with a plan which came to us from Dijon; but as we 
never received any specimens from other organizations and 
collected none from our own material, the room which had 
been fitted up as a pathological laboratory was turned over to 
the Reconstruction Aids and was used as a work shop by the 
crippled soldiers. 

At the time the writer was made Director of the Base 
Laboratory, his station was changed from Base Hospital No. 
6 to the Base Surgeon’s office. While he continued to hold 
the title of Director of the Base Laboratory, Major Kinnicutt 
was actually in charge of the work, and to him and his loyal 
assistants is due the credit of the excellent work done by the 
laboratory. 

It has frankly been admitted that the Base Laboratory 
failed to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally estab¬ 
lished, but it is appropriate to indicate what it did accomplish. 

It performed the manifold routine laboratory examina¬ 
tions for Base Hospital No. 6 from the time it began to func¬ 
tion as a thousand bed hospital throughout its growth and 
after it had reached its maximum expansion of 4,300 beds. 
As an example of the thoroughness of this work, it may be 
stated that practically all serum therapy was administered 
under bacteriological control. Wassermanns were done for 
all the organizations within the Base Section which lacked 
facilities for doing them. Throat cultures, sputum examina¬ 
tions, blood cultures, and bacteriological examination of feces 
were made on all specimens sent to the laboratory from other 
organizations. The stock of therapeutic sera for the Base 
Section was distributed through the Base Laboratory. Es¬ 
pecial mention should be made of the work of the Water 
Division of the Laboratory under the charge of Captain 
Mohler (later Major Mohler). 

Major Mohler and his assistants made routine bacterio- 


100 


Base Hospital No. 6 


logical and chemical examinations of all the sources of water 
supply in the Base Section at stated intervals. Those which 
were safe and those which were dangerous were labelled. 
The chlorination of water in Lister bags was supervised, and 
samples from the bags were tested from time to time to see 
that the chlorination was effective. Water in the railroad 
stations along the main routes of travel was tested and labelled 
as safe or unsafe for drinking purposes, and at important 
points, if the water was contaminated, an adequate safe supply 
was provided. Automatic chlorinating machines were installed 
at the Beau Desert Hospital Center, Mont Pont, Perigueux, 
Limoges, and other important centers. 

When it was found that it was not feasible for the Base 
Laboratory to serve the entire Section, as had been at first 
intended, it was decided to establish a central laboratory 
at each hospital center, and plans for those at Beau 
Desert and at Limoges were prepared in the Base Labora¬ 
tory. Furthermore, it seemed desirable to provide labora¬ 
tories for some of the large camps, and accordingly these 
were built at St. Sulpice, Grange Neuve, and other places in 
accordance with plans furnished by the Base Laboratory. 
These and other laboratories were equipped from the Base 
Laboratory, and, in the case of some of them, officers from 
the Base Laboratory were detailed to run them. A central 
control was maintained over all the laboratory work of the 
Base Section with the exception of the central laboratories 
of the hospital centers, which were under the control of Head¬ 
quarters, S. O. S. Nevertheless, close cooperation and 
pleasant relations were always maintained with their labora¬ 
tories. This decentralization of the laboratory work met 
in a large measure the needs of the Base Section. 

Other important activities of the Base Laboratory will be 
described when we consider the work of the Epidemiological 
Department of the Base Section, but it is of interest here to 
note that as early as January, 1918, Major Kinnicutt and 
Lieutenant Binger discovered that some of the anti-meningi¬ 
tis serum which had been issued was without potency. This 
was first suggested by clinical observations and confirmed by 
laboratory tests. Steps were promptly taken and this worth¬ 
less serum was replaced by potent sera obtained from various 
sources. The Central Laboratory at Dijon was notified of 
the maker’s name and the lot numbers of all the specimens 


Epidemiology in Base Section No. 2 101 

of anti-meningitis serum which were found to be without po¬ 
tency, and subsequently telegraphic orders were issued from 
the office of the Chief Surgeon, A. E. F., withdrawing this 
and certain other useless sera from use. 

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL WORK IN BASE SECTION NO. 2 

The writer, after being transferred to the Base Surgeon’s 
office, had the opportunity of visiting most of the organiza¬ 
tions in the Base Section. Among these were the large artil¬ 
lery camps at Souge, Le Courneau, and Libourne, the divisional 
training areas of the 34th, 84th, and 86th Divisions, each with 
a strength of more than twenty thousand men, the labor camps 
at Lormont and Bassens, the great Q. M. warehouses at St. 
Sulpice with their thousands of men, the rest camps, the for¬ 
estry organizations south of Bordeaux, the various Remount 
Stations, the Naval Base at Pauillac, hospitals, convalescent 
camps, etc. 

A study of the conditions in these various organizations 
showed that there were many health and disease problems to 
be considered. These included water supply, proper balance 
of rations, bathing facilities for men, facilities for washing 
and drying clothes, means for delousing infected troops, com¬ 
bating the fly nuisance, garbage disposal, construction of 
proper latrines, providing suitable sleeping quarters, especially 
with reference to preventing overcrowding which resulted from 
lack of tentage, insufficient building materials for barracks, 
and inadequate billeting space. 

The Y. M. C. A., Red Cross, and other similar organizations 
were meeting the recreational needs of the men in an admir¬ 
able way. The drinking water supply was being satisfac¬ 
torily taken care of by the Water Laboratory. Shower baths, 
with hot or cold water, were installed wherever possible, and 
an effort was made to provide facilities for washing clothes, 
though in many instances crude makeshifts had to be resorted 
to for drying them. That the delousing equipment was non¬ 
existent, or a failure, was evidenced by the fact that we had 
the cootie with us until he received his death blow in the em¬ 
barkation camp just prior to returning the troops to the U. S. A. 

Much was accomplished in combating the fly nuisance 
and menace by screening kitchens, mess halls, and latrines; 
building incinerators for the disposal of garbage; issuing and 
enforcing orders for the prompt removal of stable manure 
to a safe distance from the camp. 


102 


Base Hospital No. 6 


The overcrowding in the sleeping quarters was a difficult 
problem to solve for the reasons enumerated above, but 
we never relaxed our efforts to combat this evil, and consist¬ 
ently fought for a modification of G. O. 46, which allowed a 
minimum of twenty square feet floor space per man. Bulletin 
No. 94, which was issued in 1918, provided a minimum of forty 
square feet, but was emasculated by the words “where 
possible.” 

It was a laborious task and not accomplished until late 
in 1918, but practically all of the billets in the chief billeting 
areas were finally measured so that the billeting officer could 
know the square feet of floor space in each billet. After these 
data were obtained, the medical inspectors could at least enforce 
the twenty square foot requirement which previously had been 
violated in many instances. 

Having become convinced that the Adrian Barrack, twenty 
feet wide by one hundred feet long, with its quad bunks, was 
ill adapted for the housing of one hundred men, an open-air 
sleeping shed divided into four sections, with cubicles separat¬ 
ing the men into groups of four and provided with a drying 
room in the center, was designed and forwarded through chan¬ 
nels to the Commanding General, S. O. S. This plan received 
his approval, and authorization was granted for the con¬ 
struction of ten of these sheds, in order that they might have 
practical test. This was not accomplished, however, until 
October, 1918, and with the signing of the armistice practically 
all construction ceased. 

The epidemic of influenza seemed a tragic demonstration 
of the danger of overcrowding and of the quad bunk sleep¬ 
ing arrangement. It is questionable if any precautions we 
might have taken would have proved sufficient to prevent the 
spread of this disease, but we remain convinced that the spread 
of the respiratory diseases in general was favored by the close 
proximity in which the men slept, and it was with some satis¬ 
faction that we succeeded in getting through a G. O. in Base 
Section No. 2, requiring a solid partition between the lateral 
halves of all quad bunks before a similar though less stringent 
G. O. was issued from Headquarters, S. O. S. 

A study of the conditions in the Base Section revealed 
many problems for the medical department. Many of these 
had already been definitely formulated and were being satis¬ 
factorily handled, but there was one field which seemed 


Epidemiology in Base Section No. 2 103 

scarcely charted, although its great importance was clearly 
apparent. In the organization tables of our army, Epidemi¬ 
ologist does not occur. The histories of all wars show that the 
losses from disease are much greater than from “killed in 
action.” Furthermore, of the losses from disease, the ma¬ 
jority are caused by epidemic diseases; therefore it seemed 
time to establish the office of Epidemiologist. 

The first step in the epidemiological work was to get a 
complete census of all the organizations in the Base Section, 
with their station. This was done and a card index was prepared, 
using the company or equivalent organization as the unit. 
This index was kept up to date by obtaining the daily troop 
movement sheets. Additional cards were made out for troops 
entering the Base Section and placed in the current file. The 
cards for troops leaving the Base Section were removed from 
the current file and the destination of the troops noted on the 
cards, if this information was available. 

The next step was to establish an effective system of 
reporting and recording every case of communicable disease 
that occurred in the Base Section. The list of reportable 
diseases was revised, and responsibility for reporting by tele¬ 
graph or telephone, as required, was fixed on the proper offi¬ 
cers. If all reports were not in by noon of the day following 
the twenty-four hour period to be covered by the report, the 
delinquents were called by long distance telephone and asked 
for their reports. Daily entries of all cases of reportable disease 
were made in the card index. By this system we were able, 
at a moment’s notice, to give the station of any organization 
in the Base Section, and the daily incidence of each of the 
reportable diseases by companies or equivalent unit, while 
the Base Surgeon could sit in his office and keep his 
finger on the pulse of the Base Section. 

By means of the information which we thus had at our 
disposal, we were able to give valuable advice with reference 
to troop movements. At first we hesitated to offer advice 
concerning troop movements, but made a practice of looking 
up the health (or disease) record of all troops in the Base 
Section involved in the troop movement orders, copies of 
which reached us every morning. A memorandum of the vari¬ 
ous reportable diseases showing the number of cases of each 
disease occurring in each company or equivalent unit for the 
previous two weeks was prepared and immediately sent to G. 1. 


104 


Base Hospital No. 6 


The value of this information was so apparent that in a short 
time it became an established practice to get the O. K. of the 
Base Surgeon’s office on all troop movement orders. The 
above example illustrates but one of the uses of reporting and 
recording the communicable diseases. It also furnished us 
information concerning epidemics in their incipiency, and made 
it possible to institute precautionary and preventive measures 
at a time when they might be effective in stopping further 
spread of the disease. 

The appearance of a single case of meningitis or diph¬ 
theria was looked upon with concern. The diagnosis would 
be verified, if possible, by the Base Laboratory, the proper 
care of the patient provided for, and the actual contacts de¬ 
termined and isolated. If other cases occurred, an investiga¬ 
tion would be immediately made and, if the conditions war¬ 
ranted, some form of quarantine would be instituted. 

In all quarantine measures two aims had to be borne in 
mind: first, to protect the health of the troops; and second, to 
interfere as little as possible with their work. To accomplish 
these ends three forms of quarantine were adopted. The first 
was a partial working quarantine under which no effort was 
made to prevent the usual contacts with others while perform¬ 
ing customary duties out-of-doors, but the men were isolated 
at all other times from outside contacts. 

Under a second form of partial quarantine the affected 
organization might only perform duties which did not bring 
them in contact with other organizations. 

Finally, there was an absolute quarantine which was only 
applied in rare instances where the conditions seemed to de¬ 
mand drastic measures. 

The success of quarantine depends in a large measure 
upon the degree of cooperation which can be secured in carry¬ 
ing it out. In the army it depends largely upon the coopera¬ 
tion of the line officers. If they can be made to feel that the 
measures taken are reasonable and necessary and are calcu¬ 
lated to conserve man power and not to increase needlessly 
the number of days of ineffectiveness, they are your best allies. 
Otherwise, success is not assured, even though the necessary 
quarantine orders are issued. 

In addition to formulating general quarantine rules, a 
set of directions were prepared and published for dealing 
with each of the more important communicable diseases. These 



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Epidemiology in Base Section No. 2 105 

directions prescribed the rules for isolating the patients, the 
means for determining contacts, the length of time they should 
be held in isolation, and the criteria on which they should be 
discharged. The wholesale taking of cultures was unneces¬ 
sary as well as impracticable. When a focus of infection oc¬ 
curred, our effort was to discover it as early as possible, draw 
the smallest circle around it that would be reasonably sure to 
include all who might have been exposed and be in the incuba¬ 
tion period of the disease, to make our circle impenetrable by 
appropriate quarantine measures, and then to fight tooth and 
nail inside the ring until the focus was eradicated. Daily, or 
twice daily, inspection of all suspects was usually substituted 
for wholesale culturing, and in cases where cultures seemed 
indicated, the number was reduced to practicable limits. 

Early diagnosis, prompt isolation, and proper treatment 
of the sick, determination of the actual contacts, their isola¬ 
tion and daily examination, were the measures that were relied 
upon in combating epidemics, and it is felt that the results 
justified this policy. 

Among other measures which were probably important in 
lessening the incidence of the infectious diseases were the 
more frequent use of the thermometer at sick call, and dis¬ 
couraging the pernicious practice of marking men “Quarters” 
who had any elevation of temperature. Fever means an in¬ 
fection more often than not, and holding a man in quarters 
until his rash comes out, or other distinctive signs appear of 
the disease with which he is suffering, exposes his “Bunkies” 
and squad mates to the contagion at a time when, as a rule, 
it is most readily communicable. 

Believing that there is considerable truth in the familiar ad¬ 
age, “Forewarned is forearmed,” the seasonal appearance of 
the various communicable diseases was anticipated, and bulletins 
were prepared in the Base Surgeon’s office and sent out to 
all the medical officers in the Base Section, with the exception 
of those in the base hospitals. These bulletins called atten¬ 
tion to the early diagnostic signs and symptoms, described the 
laboratory tests which might aid in or confirm the diagnosis, 
indicated the proper treatment, and outlined the measures 
which should be taken to prevent spread of the disease. Among 
the diseases which were considered in these bulletins were 
meningitis, diphtheria, influenza, pneumonia, the respiratory 
diseases in general, dysentery, etc. Bulletins were also issued 


io6 Base Hospital No. 6 

on Quarantine Regulations, Sanitation of Billeting Areas, and 
various other subjects. 

The cooperation of the Base Laboratory with the Epi¬ 
demiologist in studying and combating epidemics deserves es¬ 
pecial mention. During the summer of 1918 many cases of 
“diarrhoea” were reported from all over the Base Section. 
It was impossible to make a bacteriological diagnosis in each 
case, but Major Kinnicutt sent out to all the organizations 
reporting any unusual number of cases of “diarrhoea,” collected 
specimens of feces from ten to twenty average cases, and was 
able to demonstrate that in practically every outbreak we were 
dealing with a mild form of bacillary dysentery. This at 
once corrected the erroneous impression which prevailed that 
the disease was due to dietary factors, and directed our pre¬ 
ventive measures along proper lines. 

The first outbreak of influenza which was attended with 
any mortality in Base Section No. 2, occurred during July, 
1918, in the Mimizan District, comprising five camps of For¬ 
estry Troops. Lieutenant Binger investigated this outbreak, 
and within twenty-four hours made a report covering the 
salient features of the situation. He was immediately put in 
charge, and within another twenty-four hours he had estab¬ 
lished a temporary camp hospital of a hundred beds, insti¬ 
tuted adequate quarantine measures, and succeeded in keeping 
the disease out of the two camps which had not already become 
infected. He later established a convalescent camp of approx¬ 
imately one hundred beds, and remained in charge until the 
situation was well in hand. 

During the month of August, 1918, there was a serious 
outbreak of influenza in Camp Hunt at Le Courneau, where 
approximately 20,000 men were concentrated. Major Kin¬ 
nicutt and Lieutenant Binger proceeded to Camp Hunt with 
the necessary laboratory equipment, and made valuable bac¬ 
teriological studies of this outbreak. The disease was already 
too wide spread to speak with accuracy of its control, and it 
is doubtful if it would have been possible to control it, but 
they gave valuable aid in organizing and directing the care 
of the cases in the 1,000 bed camp hospital which was located 
at Le Courneau, and by early diagnosis and segregation of the 
pneumonia cases probably did much to prevent the spread of 
this most serious complication. Among their most interest¬ 
ing observations with this outbreak was the finding of the 


Epidemiology in Base Section No. 2 107 

meningococcus as a not infrequent complicating organism. The 
first observations were made at this time, which led to an 
original contribution by Lieutenant Binger on the inhibitive 
action of certain of the anilin dyes on the meningococcus. 

It was about this time that we had a rather unique oppor¬ 
tunity of being of service and of winning the good will, and to 
a certain degree, the confidence of the Commanding General 
of the Base Section, and the recognition of G. H. Q. A 
serious epidemic had prevailed for some time among the horses 
at Camp de Souge. For three months the average loss had 
been about twenty-five horses a day. At a conservative esti¬ 
mate this meant a monetary loss of about $12,500 daily, but 
was much more serious in the delay that it was causing in 
furnishing the artillery brigades their complement of horses 
and enabling them to get to the front, where they were ur¬ 
gently needed. It was reported that the situation was causing 
General Pershing and Secretary of War Baker grave concern, 
and caused them to make more than one tour of inspection to 
Camp de Souge. 

The army has one peculiar advantage over most organiza¬ 
tions in that, if they wish a specialist they create one by offi¬ 
cial order. Though none of us held diplomas from any school 
of Veterinary Medicine, Colonel Shaw was asked to take 
charge of the epidemic among the horses at Souge. At the 
time there were between 7,000 and 8,000 horses in the camp, 
one-third of which were evidently infected. 

A plan of campaign was made which consisted in holding 
all horses coming to the camp in quarantine for a period of 
ten days, and admitting only those which were free from 
infection, segregating all the sick animals in the camp from 
those which were uninfected, thoroughly cleaning and disin¬ 
fecting all the stables, corrals, watering troughs, harness, 
wagon poles, etc., white-washing all stables and corrals, and im¬ 
mediate condemnation and disposal of all hopelessly ill 
animals. 

Over a thousand of the infected animals were transferred 
to the veterinary hospital at Carbon Blanc. New corrals 
were built to accommodate another thousand animals within the 
camp, the hopelessly ill horses were shot and removed from 
the camp, and so well was the clean-up program carried out 
that within three weeks the epidemic was controlled, and 
Lieutenant Binger, who was placed in charge of this work, 
received a citation from G. H. Q. in recognition. 


io8 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Another piece of work, in which we can take satisfaction 
in feeling that we were of some service, was in connection with 
the selection of replacements from the 84th and 86th Divi¬ 
sions at the time of the great German Offensive, which had 
Paris as its objective. Urgent priority orders were received for 
9,ioo replacements from each of the two divisions above men¬ 
tioned. These divisions had but recently come from the United 
States and were heavily infected with influenza. There seemed 
grave danger of spreading the disease at the front by sending 
such a large number of men from infected organizations, but the 
need was urgent and some risk was justified, although it was 
the part of prudence to reduce this risk to a minimum. Lieu¬ 
tenant Binger was sent to the 84th, and the writer to the 86th 
Division. In three days these two divisions had been combed 
through, the requisite number of replacements selected, and 
put on troop trains headed for the front. We were after¬ 
ward told that there was no outbreak of influenza among 
these troops, and a congratulatory telegram was received by 
General Connor on the way in which the matter was handled. 

It is disappointing that the Epidemiologist was help¬ 
less before the great epidemic of influenza. Such barriers as 
we tried to throw in the way of its spread were swept away 
as chaff before a mighty tempest. This frightful epidemic 
seemed to know no bounds, and before its advance we stood 
helpless. That this was true over the rest of the world is but 
poor consolation. 

The first outbreak in Base Section No. 2 occurred during 
the latter part of April, 1918, at St. Sulpice. Two weeks 
later there was a small outbreak among the enlisted men of 
Base Hospital No. 6. Castels, Dax, and Ponteux were suc¬ 
cessively attacked, then it spread rapidly over the Base Sec¬ 
tion. At first we did not recognize the disease as influenza. 
It was called three-day fever, from the average duration of the 
febrile disturbance. The outstanding characteristics of the 
disease were sudden onset in a man previously feeling perfectly 
well, complete prostration with headache, backache, and deep- 
seated pains in the bones and joints of the extremities, a 
sharp febrile reaction lasting one, two, or three days, and 
leucopenia; otherwise the physical examination was negative. 
The suddenness of the onset was so acute that patients could, 
as a rule, tell the hour they were taken sick. In these early 
cases convalescence was rapid and complete, and the patients 
would be back on duty in from three to five days. 


Epidemiology in Base Section No. 2 109 

That the disease was highly contagious was indicated by 
its rapid spread and the large numbers of individuals in a 
community that would be attacked; an incidence of 40 to 50 
per cent was not unusual. 

The Mimizan epidemic previously mentioned, which oc¬ 
curred during the latter part of July, 1918, was the first in 
Base Section No. 2 which was complicated by pneumonia, 
and the first attended by any mortality. To continue the 
story of the epidemic through the succeeding months would 
be to write a chapter of horrors which would serve no useful 
purpose in this place, and with which we are all, already 
familiar. Through this dark story there is one ray of comfort 
which may be recorded. Soon after we entered on this second 
phase of the epidemic, in which the complicating pneumonia 
wrought such destruction, we became convinced that influ¬ 
enza cases stood transportation very poorly, and that pneu¬ 
monia occurred with much greater frequency in patients that 
were transported even comparatively short distances. We 
therefore obtained two hundred and eighty-five hospital tents 
at a time when it was said there were no tents to be had. 
These, together with cots, blankets, and other medical sup¬ 
plies, were distributed to organizations that were without hos¬ 
pital facilities, and temporary hospitals were established so 
that cases could be taken care of in the places where they 
arose. Later General Noble issued an order forbidding the 
evacuation of any influenza or pneumonia patients without 
consent from the Base Surgeon’s office. Many medical offi¬ 
cers complained bitterly against this order, urging that their 
pneumonia cases should be evacuated to base hospitals where 
they could have skilled nursing and surgical care in case 
empyema developed, and that their influenza cases should 
also be sent to base hospitals because they were liable to 
develop empyema and pneumonia. The order was never modi¬ 
fied, however, because we in the Base Surgeon’s office believed 
that if the patient was put to bed as soon as he was taken 
ill, and kept absolutely at rest in bed, kept warm and fed, 
he had a better chance for his life than if he was transported 
even a few miles to a base hospital. Another reason for not 
changing this order was that the base hospitals were already 
full to overflowing. 

It is the writer’s belief that this policy in regard to influ¬ 
enza contributed more than anything else to the comparatively 


I 10 


Base Hospital No. 6 


low mortality rate in Base Section No. 2, the lowest, so far 
as I know, of any of the base sections in the A. E. F. 

After the signing of the armistice, and with the subsi¬ 
dence of the influenza epidemic, the duties of the Epidemiolo¬ 
gist began to grow lighter. He was, therefore, assigned to 
organize the medical work in the Embarkation Camp. Ac¬ 
cording to the earlier plans only 20 per cent of the returning 
troops were to embark from Bordeaux; subsequently we were 
directed to prepare to handle 60 per cent of all the troops. 

Before embarkation every soldier was to have his service 
record, War Risk Insurance papers, and qualification card 
verified and corrected if necessary, was to turn in all equip¬ 
ment, receive a receipt for same, be bathed, deloused if neces¬ 
sary, medically examined, and be issued new equipment before 
going aboard ship. Rest Camp No. 1 at Grange Neuve was 
converted into an embarkation camp and prepared to take 
care of 20,000 men at a time. The various billeting areas 
within a day’s march of Bordeaux were prepared again for the 
reception of troops. A large building, several hundred 
feet in length, was erected in the Embarkation Camp, which 
was known as “the mill,” into one end of which the men might 
enter in any state of dilapidation and pass out at the other 
end, clean and sweet and pure, even to a hair cut and a shave, 
with every article of equipment in perfect condition, ready to 
return to the U. S. A. a joy and a pride to his family and his 
nation. 

The plans for this transformation were admirably laid, 
and the mill was exactly constructed for the performance of 
the manifold operations which were required. Too much 
space would be required for a detailed description of the build¬ 
ing and its uses. Only a brief account of the medical work 
will be given. Two teams of five medical examiners each 
worked simultaneously, the men passing through the mill in 
two lines. It will be sufficient to describe in detail the work 
of only one team. The first examiner was stationed at the 
entrance to the shower baths, and made a venereal examination 
and inspection for pediculosis. If a man passed this examina¬ 
tion he proceeded to have a bath, and on emerging from the 
shower room met the next examiner, who made an inspection 
of his ears, nose, and mouth, including teeth and throat. Next 
in line were two examiners who went over the heart and 
lungs. The last place in the line of examiners was held by a 
dermatologist, who looked especially for skin rashes. 


Epidemiology in Base Section No. 2 m 

The examination of the heart and lungs was not dupli¬ 
cated, but two examiners were assigned to this work because 
it required more time than any of the other examinations. 

If any one of the examiners found any abnormal or sus¬ 
picious condition, he noted it on a slip of paper with request 
for whatever special examination might be necessary for a 
diagnosis. The soldier was then convoyed by an orderly to 
each of the remaining examiners in the line, and when he had 
passed the last one he was shunted out of the line into a quiet 
examining room, where he received a more careful examina¬ 
tion. Adjoining this room was a laboratory where throat 
cultures, urethral smears, and other simple laboratory pro¬ 
cedures were carried out. 

Any soldier who was found to be suffering from a com¬ 
municable disease was immediately sent to the Camp Hos¬ 
pital. Cases of pediculosis were shunted out of the line into 
a large room specially designed for delousing, and when this 
object was attained, if they were otherwise normal, they were 
allowed to continue through the mill. A staff of dentists gave 
immediate care to any men needing dental attention. 

The work of examining thousands of men, the great ma¬ 
jority of whom are normal, is very fatiguing. The more so, 
because it requires great concentration of attention. Each 
examiner has about sixty men pass before him in an hour, 
the great majority of whom are normal, but each one must 
be regarded as possibly presenting some sign or symptom of 
disease. Constant alertness is required not to let the hun¬ 
dredth or the thousandth man, who actually is diseased, es¬ 
cape detection. 

We were prepared to keep the mill running twenty-four 
hours a day if necessary. For this purpose four teams of 
five medical officers each were kept constantly on hand. In 
addition to these there was a consultant for each two teams 
and the necessary laboratory officers. We tried to work the 
teams on two-hour shifts, but frequently they would actually 
have a tour of duty of four hours or more. 

It is true that the examiners gained proficiency and facility 
with experience, but on account of the monotonous character 
of the work, the teams were changed every two weeks. 

The teams for this very routine but exacting work were 
made up from the various base hospital units in the Base 
Section. Letters were sent out to the commanding officers 


I 12 


Base Hospital No. 6 


of the various base hospitals outlining the plan and request¬ 
ing that each hospital make up one or more teams, according 
to the number of medical officers available, and place them 
at our disposal. On our part we promised not to keep any 
team for a longer period than two weeks, and, if possible, not 
to call on any team for more than one two-week period. It is 
a pleasure to acknowledge the hearty cooperation on the part 
of the commanding officers of the base hospitals, and the 
cheerful and very efficient service rendered by the medical 
officers composing the various teams. 

It would be easy to go on reminiscing through many more 
pages of the battle of Bordeaux, but this narrative has per¬ 
haps already been drawn out at too great length. I think no 
one came out of the war as he went into it. The experiences 
which we passed through left their mark on all of us, and what 
that mark is depended on what we put into our work. 

For my own part, I have never had a more interesting or 
more valuable medical experience. I count myself most for¬ 
tunate to have been a member of Base Hospital No. 6, and 
shall always be thankful for the way in which I, an outsider, 
was taken in and made to feel one of the unit. I could not 
have felt more at home with the men from the medical 
school and hospital from which I graduated, and I count 
the enduring friendships I formed in Base Hospital No. 6 the 
most valuable thing that I brought out of the war. 


THE AGRICULTURAL UNIT AT BASE 
HOSPITAL NO. 6 

Harold L. Frost, Captain A. R. C. 

Chief of Hospital Farm and (garden Service 

T HESE farms were established primarily to furnish 
outdoor occupation for convalescent soldiers. In 
addition, fresh and appetizing vegetables were pro¬ 
duced for the patients, most of whom had been living on a 
diet of canned goods for many months, a diet which was en¬ 
tirely lacking in vitamines. All of these vegetables were 
consumed by the patients in an absolutely fresh condition; 
amount of same recorded by weight and valued at the whole¬ 
sale market price at time of consumption. Weekly records 
of production from all of the farms were kept and forwarded 
to Army and Red Cross headquarters. 

That the agricultural work at the hospital in France was 
justified may best be shown by using the report of the farm 
at Base Hospital No. 6 as taken from the “History of the 
Hospital Farm and Garden Service of the American Red 
Cross.” 

BASE HOSPITAL No. 6 
Working days of convalescent soldiers 2,220 

Total amount of vegetables produced 34,3 53 kilos (75,766 lbs.) 

Total value of vegetables produced 51,334 francs 

Total operating expense 8,766 francs 

The Massachusetts General Hospital unit, through its 
Commanding Officers, Maj. F. A. Washburn and Maj. Warren 
L. Babcock, and its Garden Officer, Capt. E. L. Oliver, played 
a far more important part in determining the final organiza¬ 
tion of the overseas hospital agricultural work than mere 
statistics can possibly show or recorded histories be able to 
relate. Under this unit the first all-American farm was started on 
April 14, 1918, and so successful was it as to warrant the re¬ 
cruiting, in August and September of the same year, of twenty- 
five more American farm superintendents for work in France. 
In fact, it became the model for all of the overseas farm 
work contemplated at the base hospitals. 

This farm, located in Talence, consisted of about five 
acres of poor, run-out land, built up by heavy manuring under 

”3 


Base Hospital No. 6 


114 

the skillful management of the first farm superintendent, 
Capt. C. F. Jenness, A. R. C., of Newton, Mass. Due to 
lack of fertility, the only asset of this farm was its close 
proximity to an old French remount camp with an immense 
accumulation of well-rotted manure which was immediately 
transported to the Base Hospital farm. Liberally fertilized, 
thoroughly worked, and well operated with tools donated 
by Joseph Breck & Sons, of Boston, financed by Mr. James 
Jackson, of Boston, and by the town of Arlington, and 
enthusiastically supported by Boston medical men, is it any 
wonder that vegetables were growing within less than thirty 
days, even on an unprolific soil ? 

Exactly two months after our enrollment with the Base 
Hospital No. 6 staff, Monsieur Lafforgue, of Bordeaux, French 
Director of Agriculture, with two French experts, awarding 
agricultural prizes, visited this farm, and expressed the opinion 
that it equalled any of the army farms they had visited. 
They were profuse in their praise of the general condition 
of the vegetables and the work being done by the personnel 
of the hospital. This visit was made June 14, 1918. 

The benefit of this work in other than actual food values 
is most difficult to estimate, but a very decided improvement 
in the condition of the convalescent soldiers working on the 
farms was noted. At Base Hospital No. 6 a number of con¬ 
valescent soldiers applied to Captain Jenness for permission to 
work with him, and learn market gardening or truck farming 
as a profession. In addition, this farm supplied several thou¬ 
sand lettuce, cabbage, and tomato plants to the various farms 
and gardens in Base Section No. 2, serving as the source of 
supply for the American units in southwestern France. 

Early in May a request for guinea-pigs and rabbits was re¬ 
ceived by the farm unit, and after much searching, the first ani¬ 
mals were purchased May 18. These pigs, for the hospital 
laboratory, were secured only through the good will of Pro¬ 
fessor Ferret, Director of the Pasteur Institute, as it was 
found that they were completely out of the market, the state¬ 
ment being made that the Germans, through the Swiss, had 
bought up every guinea-pig in the country in order to cripple 
the allied work. With this French stock as a nucleus, animals 
were soon bred and made available for research work. 

To utilize the hospital refuse, a small piggery was 
started, and ten young pigs were purchased May 22. 


The Agricultural Unit 


ii 5 

Owing to the limited area available within the hospital 
grounds this project was not enlarged, although there was an 
abundant supply of food going to waste. The plan was later 
developed most successfully at a farm operated by Captain 
Jenness, resulting from this preliminary work at Base Hospital 
No. 6. 

July 3, Captain Jenness was transferred to Beau Desert, 
and Lieut. F. Howard Brown, of Marlboro, Mass., a gradu¬ 
ate of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, took his place, 
continuing until after the armistice. This farm made possible 
the immediate operation of the Beau Desert farm on a much 
larger scale, through supplying it with plants, seed, and tools. 
In fact, the experience gained here, seedlings propagated, and 
American tools loaned, meant much to the success of a num¬ 
ber of the army farms in Base Section No. 2. 

The effect of this work on the farms, especially as it applied 
to shell-shocked men, is best expressed in a report from a high 
official who visited many of the hospitals. 

“At one of our own hospitals where shell-shock cases are 
numerous, it has been found of the greatest benefit to get 
the men out on the farm at once, as they sleep better, eat 
more heartily, and forget their troubles far more quickly than 
if they are allowed to stay around where all the others are.” 


ACTIVITIES OF MEMBERS OF BASE HOSPITAL 
NO. 6, IN ENGLAND 
J. H. Means 

I N the spring of 1918 Base Hospital No. 6 was saddened 
by the news that it was to lose its commanding officer. 
So efficient had he been in preparing a far larger hospital 
at Bordeaux than had been originally planned, that the powers 
that were decided to transfer him to take charge of a still 
more important work in Base Section No. 3, the British 
Isles. Until that spring it had not been contemplated to evacu¬ 
ate American sick and wounded to England, but with the 
decision to put American Divisions in the British line, came 
the necessity for quickly preparing adequate hospital facilities 
for them in England, for the lines of communication from 
the British front were such that it was not feasible to evacuate 
American patients from that front to American hospitals in 
France. Major Washburn was ordered to England to assist 
the Base Surgeon in the work of hospitalization. 

On April 24 a farewell dinner was given to the Major at 
the officers’ mess in the Chateau Crespy at Talence. Col. 
Henry A. Shaw, of the regular army Medical Corps, the Sur¬ 
geon of Base Section No. 2, also a Massachusetts General 
Hospital graduate, was present and spoke in glowing terms 
of Major Washburn’s construction work in Talence. The 
occasion was a memorable one. A cigarette case was given 
Major Washburn by his officers as a slight tribute of their 
esteem. The same day an enthusiastic meeting was held by 
the nurses, who put their sentiments in the form of a very 
handsome cigar case. Thus equipped, he said farewell to 
Base Hospital No. 6, and departed for Albion. 

Arriving there, he found a situation somewhat as follows: 
The Base Section was essentially a line of communication. Its 
organization existed for the sole purpose of expediting troops 
landed in British ports to France. Headquarters were in Lon¬ 
don. Rest camps which had been turned over by the British 
were in operation at Liverpool, Winchester, Romsey, and 
Southampton. Troops arriving at Liverpool either spent a 
night at the Liverpool camp or were directly entrained and 
transported to one of the three camps in the Winchester dis- 

116 


Members of Unit in England 117 

trict, from whence, after a night or two, they proceeded to 
France via Southampton and Havre. The only hospitaliza¬ 
tion that existed in April, 1918, was the camp hospitals at 
these camps, and an American Red Cross Hospital at Mossley 
Hill, Liverpool—a total of not more than seven hundred 
beds. This camp hospital accommodation was obviously not 
intended for wounded. It was barely enough to care for the 
sick left in England by troops in transit for France. 

Major (later Colonel) Washburn’s job was to provide base 
hospital accommodation for the wounded from at least two di¬ 
visions. Authority was obtained from the Chief Surgeon, A. E. 
F., to stop a certain number of base hospital organizations as 
they arrived from the States (four were actually so stopped). 
Hospital buildings for them had to be either constructed or ob¬ 
tained from the British. Colonel Washburn, under the Base 
Surgeon, was in charge of this work. From the time of his 
arrival in England until the middle of June, he was stationed 
in Winchester with the title, “Surgeon to American Troops, 
Winchester District.” This area included the rest camps of 
Southampton, Romsey, and Winchester and, geographically, 
practically all territory lying south of the latitude of London. 
In June he was transferred to headquarters in London, and 
continued the hospitalization work from there. In the middle of 
May, 1918, two other officers of Base Hospital No. 6, Mixter 
and Means, were detailed and ordered to England to assist 
Colonel Washburn. They arrived at Winchester on May 20, 
taking station there in the District Surgeon’s office. When 
Colonel Washburn was transferred to London, Mixter became 
Surgeon of the Winchester District and later Commanding 
Officer of Base Hospital No. 204, at Hursley Park, Hamp¬ 
shire. Means was transferred to London with Colonel 
Washburn and remained at that headquarters, except for cer¬ 
tain short periods of temporary duty at various points in Eng¬ 
land, until January, 1919, when he was ordered back to Base 
Hospital No. 6 at Bordeaux. 

The problem of hospitalization divided itself into two 
phases. The first was the improvement in the existing camp 
hospitals, which was an important matter, though less im¬ 
portant than that of the second phase, which was the pro¬ 
viding of adequate base hospital accommodation to take care 
of the wounded from France. The general scheme for hos¬ 
pitalization which was adopted in June, 1918, provided for 


118 Base Hospital No. 6 

a total of 25,000 beds. To secure these beds it was necessary 
either to get buildings from the British which could be con¬ 
verted into hospitals or to secure them through new construc¬ 
tion. The British Army made two offers. One of these was 
the conversion of a camp at Fort Efford, near Plymouth, into 
a hospital. The other, the expansion of an existing hospital 
at Hursley Park which had been, to all intents and purposes, 
a camp hospital, by converting a group of camp buildings 
close to it into wards. Both of these offers were accepted. 
No base hospital organization was ever secured for Hursley 
Park, but the personnel of Hospital Unit I, which had been 
there since the spring of 1918, was gradually increased by 
the addition of casual personnel, and the hospital was finally 
designated as Base Hospital No. 204, on September 24. 
Major Mixter was commanding officer of this organization 
during the period of its expansion, and his account of its 
activities appear elsewhere in this volume. The Efford propo¬ 
sition never functioned as a hospital, although at the time 
the armistice was signed the reconstruction was progressing 
favorably. 

The personnel of Base Hospital No. 37 (King’s County 
Hospital, Brooklyn) occupied the buildings at Fort Efford 
from the time of their arrival in England, June 4, 1918, until 
July 18, 1918, and it was originally planned to keep them 
there; but the reconstruction was progressing very slowly, 
and so they were moved to Dartford, in Kent, where buildings 
were available for the immediate reception of patients. 

Civilian British bodies were of the greatest service to the 
American Medical Department. Through Maj.-Gen. F. G. 
Bond, the Chief Quartering Officer of the British Service, 
relations were established with Sir Marriott Cooke, and Dr. 
Bond of the Board of Control. Through them the splendid 
Portsmouth Borough Asylum was handed over, rent free, for 
use as an American war hospital. This was taken over and 
operated by the personnel of Base Hospital No. 33 from 
Albany, N. Y. In a similar way, the Metropolitan Asylums 
Board, through Sir Duncombe Mann, gave the use of 
two contagious disease hospitals, near London, also rent 
free, to the United States. The first of these, the Upper 
Southern Hospital, at Dartford, Kent, was operated by Base 
Hospital No. 37 of Brooklyn, as noted above, and the second, 
the Northeastern Fever Hospital, at Tottenham, by Base 
Hospital No. 29 from Denver, Colo. 


Members of Unit in England 119 

Another base hospital project was at Sarisbury Court, 
Hants, an estate of about 170 acres, which was purchased out¬ 
right by the American Red Cross, and the construction of a 
3,000 bed hospital was undertaken by them to be turned over 
to the army for operation. The project was not completed 
at the time of the signing of the armistice, but the personnel 
of Base Hospital No. 40 from Lexington, Ky., was stationed 
there and received patients from September 4, 1918. 

In addition to these four base hospital projects, two Mil¬ 
itary Red Cross Hospitals, No. 4 at Mossley Hill, Liverpool, 
and No. 21 at Paignton, Devonshire, fulfilled the functions 
of base hospitals. Two small Red Cross Officers’ Hospitals 
in London, one at Lancaster Gate and the other in St. Cath¬ 
erine’s Lodge, Regents Park, were taken over by the American 
service and run as wards of Base Hospital No. 29 at 
Tottenham. The American service should be very grateful to 
Lady Harcourt for her management of the Lancaster Gate 
Hospital. This duty she performed both under the British 
and later under the Americans. She had also done similar 
work at Paignton in the days before that hospital came under 
American military supervision. 

A hospital project was also under way, under the auspices 
of the British Red Cross at Richmond Park, where they were 
constructing a 500 bed hospital which was to be given to the 
American Red Cross upon completion. It had not progressed 
very far on December 1, 1918, and had not been turned over 
to the Americans on that date. 

In the matter of convalescent hospitals and camps, nothing 
very much was ever accomplished. The Casual Camp at Win¬ 
chester was used as a convalescent camp to a certain extent, 
and a portion of the Rest Camp at Standon, near Hursley, was 
used as a camp for contagious disease contacts, through the 
summer of 1918. An excellent officers’ convalescent hospital 
was run by Mrs. Spender-Clay, under the auspices of the 
American Red Cross, at her estate at Lingfield, Surrey, and 
a convalescent home for nurses was run by the American Red 
Cross at Putney. A small and most excellent convalescent 
home for soldiers was provided by Mrs. Gordon Selfridge at 
her home at High Cliff. 

The total capacity of the existing buildings in the various 
hospital projects outlined above was approximately 7,000. As we 
have said, the general scheme adopted in June provided for a 


120 


Base Hospital No. 6 


total of 25,000 beds. It later was reduced to 20,000, which left 
approximately 13,000 to be provided for by new construction. 
New construction was planned for each base hospital sufficient 
to bring them up to a capacity of 3,000 beds for Nos. 33, 37, 
and 40; 2,400 for No. 29; and 2,000 for No. 204. New 
construction was also planned to enlarge the camp hospitals 
so that they would alternately have an average capacity of 
about 500 beds. This new construction was accomplished through 
various channels. At Camp Efford, at Knotty Ash, Liverpool, 
the construction was in the hands of the Royal Engineers. 
At Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Red Cross Hospital No. 4 at 
Romsey and at Sarisbury, it was handled by the American 
Red Cross and at Dartford, Tottenham, Portsmouth, and 
Hursley Park, at each of which blocks all new pavilion wards 
were contemplated, the construction was in the hands of the 
Engineers Corps of the United States Army. For the new 
blocks at the five base hospitals a uniform type of ward build¬ 
ing, containing sixty to one hundred beds, was adopted. 

At the time the armistice was signed the new construction, 
taken as a whole, was about fifty per cent completed. The 
total number of base hospital beds on that date ready for 
occupancy was only 6,600, but two months’ time would have 
seen the whole 20,000 ready for occupancy. The Menston 
Asylum in Yorkshire had been offered by the trustees, through 
the Board of Control, as a war hospital, and had not 
hostilities ceased, would have been taken over. 

In other words, though less than half of the authorized 
beds were actually ready for occupancy on November 11, the 
balance were in sight and would have been ready in a few 
weeks’ time. All construction was stopped with the signing 
of the armistice, and the Menston project was dropped. 

Such in brief was the general scope of the hospitalization 
work in England, which was Colonel Washburn’s main contri¬ 
bution during his tour of duty in England and which occupied 
his entire time until October 18, 1918, at which time he was 
appointed Chief Surgeon of Base Section No. 3, relieving 
Brig.-Gen. F. A. Winter. 

It is a pleasure to record in connection with these hospitali¬ 
zation activities of the American Army in England the 
very valuable cooperation of one of our own Massachusetts 
General Hospital Trustees, Mr. William Endicott, who in 
his capacity as American Red Cross Commissioner for Great 



Larry B. McAfee 


Maj. 



Lieut. F. C. Irving 














Lieut. Col. Lincoln Davis 











Members of Unit in England 121 

Britain was often able to render the Medical Corps most 
timely and valuable assistance. 

Following the armistice, the activities of the Medical De¬ 
partment were largely those of closing up hospitals and of 
evacuating troops and sick and wounded to the United States. 
As very few hospital ships were available, patients had to be 
sent on transports as opportunity for their proper care arose. 
The majority embarked from Liverpool. Most of the trans¬ 
ports could accommodate few patients. The largest shipments 
were as follows : 

On December 4, the Leviathan embarked from Liverpool 
with 1,425 patients, of whom 106 were litter cases. 

On December 15, the Saxonia was fitted as a temporary 
hospital ship and embarked 1,345 cases, of whom 160 were 
litter cases, from Tilbury. 

On December 23, the Mauretania received 327 patients, 
including 156 litter cases, in Southampton. 

On January 3, a real hospital ship became available for 
the first time. The U. S. S. Comfort embarked 245 of the 
worst litter cases fit at all for transportation at Plymouth. 
Major Means was appointed Embarkation Medical Officer, 
after the armistice, for all ports other than Liverpool. He 
had medical charge of the embarkation of the Saxonia from 
Tilbury, the Mauretania and Louisville from Southampton, 
and the U. S. S. Comfort from Plymouth. 

Tables of statistics are hardly desirable for the purpose 
of the present history, but a bird’s-eye view of the number of 
patients in hospitals in the British Isles will give some idea 
of the organization of the hospitalization and of the rate 
of evacuation after the armistice. The total number of Ameri¬ 
can patients cared for in England was between 40,000 and 
41,000. Of these, 11,000 were wounded or injured. The 
remainder were sick. From February, 1918, until July, 1918, 
the total number of Americans in hospitals averaged between 
1,000 and 1,500. Through July and until the middle of No¬ 
vember, there was a rapid increase until a maximum of between 
13,000 and 14,000 was reached. The greatest number in 
American hospitals at any one time was about 18,000; the 
balance were in British hospitals. On November 19 there 
were 12,950 American patients in England. On December 
16 this had dropped to 3,650, and on January 26 to 500. 

From the point of view of communicable diseases one of 


122 


Base Hospital No. 6 


the most important events was an epidemic of typhoid fever, 
which appeared in the 4th Company of Casuals from Camp 
Cody. A description of this epidemic has already been pub¬ 
lished 1 and further reference to it will be found in this volume. 

The greatest event was the influenza epidemic, which 
afflicted the people all over England just as it did almost the 
entire civilized globe. From the point of view of the American 
Medical Department, the epidemic presented a singularly dis¬ 
tressing problem, because of the enormous numbers of men 
sick with influenza arriving at various ports on transports. 
Some of these transports were veritable plague ships. The 
Olympic , for example, which was the first of these, arrived 
at Southampton on September 21 with 5,951 troops, out of 
which number, during the succeeding three weeks, 1,668 cases 
of influenza developed, and among these there were 317 
deaths. The epidemic on the Olympic only made its appear¬ 
ance two days before she reached Southampton, and unques¬ 
tionably would have been much worse had it appeared earlier. 
Although it was estimated that there were about 10,000 cases 
of influenza among American troops in England, and of 
these about 3,000 developed pneumonia, by far the larger 
proportion of them developed the disease while on transports 
or soon after debarkation. 

The American quarters and mess which was established 
at 31 Half Moon Street, around the nucleus from Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6, is perhaps worthy of a word or two. The nucleus 
consisted in Colonel Washburn and Captain Means. These 
two Yankees, having been transferred to London in the middle 
of June, decided that they had best take lodgings, as they 
felt this to be a custom of the natives. They therefore wan¬ 
dered aimlessly about one afternoon in search of such and 
chanced into Half Moon Street. On reaching the door of No. 31, 
which seemed to be a decent appearing domicile, they were 
greeted by an elderly party who styled himself, “Hedward,” 
who later became the faithful servant of the mess. The house 
belonged to Miss Christina McDonald, a most estimable lady, 
who provided a home for a number of Americans for several 
months. She showed Colonel Washburn and Major Means 
very comfortable quarters at a moderate price, and they moved 
in that very day. So reasonable was the price that a sitting 

1 Outbreak of Typhoid Fever Among American Troops. By C. B. Hawn, J. D. Hopkins, 
and F. M. Meader. Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol. 72. p. 402. 


Members of Unit in England 


123 


room which was used as a dining room was also engaged, and 
a number of American friends soon moved into either the 
same building or into the houses on either side. Dr. J. 
Lewis Bremer, for example, was a member of the mess from 
June to September. Dr. Bremer was attached to the American 
Red Cross headquarters. Capt. George P. Denney, of Boston, 
who had been transferred from Base Hospital No. 5 at 
Boulogne to London, to study aviation medicine, also spent 
the summer in the mess at Half Moon Street. Maj. F. R. 
Jouett, a Massachusetts General Hospital graduate, was dis¬ 
charged from the British Service early in the summer of 1918 
and entered the U. S. Army. He was assigned to duty at 
headquarters in London and, naturally enough, joined the 
Half Moon Street gathering, much to their joy. In a similar 
way, Maj. F. Clinton Kidner, who had been stationed at St. 
Catherine’s Lodge, doing Orthopedic Surgery in the summer 
of 1918, was made consultant in Orthopedic Surgery for the 
Base Section, and at that time joined the Half Moon Street 
mess. Mr. Stuart Smith, of Philadelphia, who was a Red 
Cross Official, and Maj. Charles H. Young were also there for 
several months each. It was altogether a most congenial bit 
of the United States; Medical United States, too, right down 
in the very middle of London. 

Several social occasions, to which all participants looked 
back with the greatest pleasure, occurred in the mess, especially 
the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners of 1918, when we 
had various visiting officers with us and when Miss McDonald 
endeavored successfully to make us feel at home and provide 
us with the very best of food and drink that could be obtained. 

None of the American medical officers whose good fortune 
led them through England will forget the kindness and hos¬ 
pitality of Sir William Osier. His home at Oxford was al¬ 
ways wide open for their entertainment whenever their duty 
would let them go there; and on many occasions he came to 
meetings of one kind or another at London. The one which 
particularly gladdened the hearts of the Massachusetts General 
Hospital men was the Ether Day Dinner held at the American 
Officers’ Club on October 16, 1918. We succeeded in finding 
twelve men who were either graduates or staff members, 
or who were in some way connected with the Old Hospital. 
As guests we had General Winter and Sir William. General 
Winter, one of the most delightful after-dinner speakers, 


124 


Base Hospital No. 6 


gave a very interesting outline of the growth and development 
of the Medical Department of the American Expeditionary 
Forces. Sir William spoke in memory of the day we were 
celebrating. He brought with him from Oxford some of the 
treasures of his library; original copies of articles by Morton, 
Warren, and Bigelow. These he demonstrated as the treas¬ 
ures they were; his kindly eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. It 
was altogether a never-to-be-forgotten occasion. 

Sir William’s telegram to Dr. Warren now hangs framed 
in the Treadwell Library, a suitable monument of this Ether 
Day in Foreign Parts. 


ACTIVITIES AS SURGEON OF BASE SECTION 
NO. 2, BORDEAUX, AND THE PARIS SECTION 
Larry B. McAfee 

M AJ. LARRY B. McAFEE, Adjutant, Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6, was ordered from the unit on Septem¬ 
ber i, 1917, and directed to report to the Com¬ 
manding Officer, Base Section No. 2, which office had just 
been designated, as Base Surgeon. The Base Section comprised 
the southwestern portion of France, with Bordeaux, the 
Headquarters, destined to become one of the largest freight 
ports of the American Expeditionary Forces. He reported to 
Major Gibbs, of the 15th Engineers, who with one company 
of that organization was making a preliminary survey for 
the Bassens dock project across the river from Bordeaux. 
These two officers were the nucleus of the staff of Base Section 
No. 2. 

The immediate concern of the Medical Department was 
the installation of sanitary construction at the rest camps then 
under construction by the French for American troops, and 
the completion and organization of camp infirmaries by the 
time of arrival of American troops. These camps combined 
had a capacity of 12,000 men. The infirmaries provided for 
a total bed capacity of 240 patients, two per cent of the camp 
population. By additional buildings this capacity was doubled 
within a short time after the camps were occupied. This ad¬ 
ditional capacity made it possible to relieve Base Hospital No. 6 
of the care of many trivial cases, that hospital being the 
only one in the Base Section where definitive treatment, for 
over a period of five months, could be given. Upon recom¬ 
mendation of the Base Surgeon, the method for the disposal 
of excreta was changed. The latrines were altered to make 
them more nearly conform to our standards of field sanitation, 
and ventilating cupolas were installed in all Adrian barracks 
to compensate in part for the crowding of troops in quarters. 
Permission was obtained from the French authorities to dump 
excreta into the Gironde River on an outgoing tide. This 
was accomplished by building a pier out into the river with a 
crib at the end. A sanitary department was organized which 
hauled all soiled cans to the pier, where the contents was 

125 


126 


Base Hospital No. 6 


dumped into the crib. The cans were then washed with water 
under pressure, following which they were oiled. The crib 
was opened on an outgoing tide, and the contents was carried 
down the river by the current. 

The following duties and projects were undertaken by this 
officer during the time he was base surgeon, September i, 1917, 
to March, 1918. 

1. Organization and expansion of the office of surgeon, 
Base Section No. 2. 

2. Supervision of construction and organization of infirm¬ 
aries at Bassens, Bassens Docks, Genicart, Grange Neuve, Pon- 
teux, La Pallice, San Sulpice, and the camp hospitals at Camp de 
Souge and Le Courneau. Arrangement for medical care and 
hospitalization of sick of the camps engaged in forestry work 
in southwestern France. 

3. Establishment of Prophylactic Stations in and around 
Bordeaux, instruction of troops in disease prevention and moral 
hygiene. 

4. Provision for ship inspection and quarantine at the 
American docks at Bassens. 

5. Sanitary member of the board making preliminary sur¬ 
veys of billeting areas in southwestern France. 

6. Liaison Officer for the 18th French Region and inspec¬ 
tion of properties in southwestern France proposed by the 
Service de Sante as locations for American hospitals. 

7. Preliminary work in water survey for the Base Section 
and through the laboratory, Base Hospital No. 6, investigation 
into the method of water chlorination as practised by the 
troops, and the lack of standardization of the hypochlorite 
furnished. 

In March, 1918, Col. Henry A. Shaw, M. C., a graduate 
of the Massachusetts General Hospital, was ordered to duty 
with the Headquarters, Base Section No. 2, and became Base 
Surgeon. Major McAfee continued in that office as first 
assistant. 

On May 16, 1918, Major McAfee reported to the Chief 
Surgeon, A. E. F., at the S. O. S. Headquarters at Tours for 
duty as assistant to the Chief of the Medical Property Divi¬ 
sion. This work had to do with the procurement, storage, 
and issue of property used by the Medical Department. While 
on this duty Major McAfee was promoted to the grade of 
Lieutenant Colonel, M. C., National Army. 


Base Section No. 2 and Paris 


127 


On September 19, 1918, this officer reported to the Com¬ 
manding General, District of Paris, for duty as assistant to 
the District Surgeon. On September 21, 1918, the District 
Surgeon was ordered to General Headquarters, Chaumont, 
for duty and Lieutenant Colonel McAfee became District 
Surgeon by reason of seniority. He continued in that capacity 
until July 31, 1919, ten days after the Headquarters, District 
of Paris, had terminated. 

Paris was the location of the original Headquarters 
of the American Expeditionary Forces upon the arrival 
of the first troops in France. When the General Staff 
was organized, it moved to Chaumont. The Headquarters 
of the Lines of Communication, which became the Service of 
the Rear and then the Service of Supply, remained in Paris 
until January, 1918, and was then transferred to Tours. The 
supply branches under the Purchasing Board and the technical 
services, however, continued to maintain offices in Paris on 
account of the scientific and market advantages. The several 
small detachments were cared for in a medical way by the 
attending surgeon’s office, which was organized in the sum¬ 
mer of 1917 and commanded by Major Howard Beale, 
a graduate of the Massachusetts General Hospital, during 
the fall of that year. The American Red Cross Hospitals 
Nos. 1, 2, and 3, which were in existence before the arrival 
of American troops in France, were militarized under the 
Medical Department of the United States Army and were the 
nucleus of the Medical Department activities in Paris. 

At this time it was not the policy to extend American 
hospitalization in Paris on account of the insecurity of 
the city against invasion by the enemy. However, during 
the March offensive and notably the offensive of May 27, the 
American wounded filtered through to Paris in large numbers, 
many coming with the French wounded on their hospital trains. 
It was necessary for the Americans to increase their hospital 
facilities. This was done through the American Red Cross, 
which arranged for the rental of properties, the equipment of 
the same as hospitals, and the operation of the messes. The 
Medical Department installed the necessary personnel and 
administered the hospitals. These hospitals were designated 
Red Cross Military Hospitals, and eventually totalled seven 
in number, exclusive of convalescent homes for both officers 
and soldiers. 


128 


Base Hospital No. 6 


In July, 1918, it was apparent that the program for the 
construction of Class “A” hospitals, that is, the temporary 
pavilion type hospitals of a thousand bed capacity, and ar¬ 
ranged in groups of from five to twenty thousand each, could 
not keep pace with the bed requirement. A policy was there¬ 
fore determined upon to establish additional hospitals in per¬ 
manent buildings, such as educational institutions, large 
chateaux, and French barracks, for the purpose of rapidly 
increasing our hospitalization. A total bed capacity of 20,000 
was allotted to the District of Paris. Through the most 
efficient service of Lieut. Col. Joseph D. Weis, M. C., a 
graduate of the Massachusetts General Hospital, 1899, 
in liaison with Medecin Major Monier and Major Mortier 
of the French Service de Sante, suitable properties were ob¬ 
tained within the district before the armistice to have given 
in excess of 20,000 beds. Hospitalization of these properties 
was not completed on account of the shortage of the necessary 
personnel. The sanitary material for the most part had been 
secured and was on hand ready to equip the buildings. 

During the latter part of September, 1918, the epidemic 
of influenza broke out among the troops, which at this time 
numbered about 15,000. Maj. Robert W. Holmes, M. C., 
one of the original officers of the unit, did most effective work 
as Sanitary Inspector, and the epidemic was of short duration 
and completely under control by the time it had reached the 
civil population. 

During the expansion period preceding the armistice an 
attempt was made to form a hospital group of all the hospitals 
in the District of Paris, and to this end a convalescent camp 
was organized; the Emergency Medical Supply Depot was 
placed in larger quarters and expanded to meet the property 
demands of all hospitals, and a classification board was under 
organization that would have acted upon all cases of con¬ 
valescents from all hospitals before the final disposition. 
Throughout this work the District Surgeon acted in the 
capacity of a Hospital Group Commander, as well as a staff 
officer on the Staff of the Commanding General, District of 
Paris. 

After the declaration of the armistice the following prob¬ 
lems presented themselves: policy for salvage of hospitals; 
evacuation of the wounded in hospitals under treatment; main¬ 
tenance of sanitary conditions for troops on duty in the dis- 


Base Section No. 2 and Paris 129 

trict and for those in the city on leave; control of venereal 
disease. 

The Chief Surgeon, A. E. F., approved of a policy to the 
effect that the sick and wounded would no longer be evacuated 
from points outside of the District of Paris to hospitals within 
the district. This allowed of an immediate cut in the bed 
capacity, following the evacuation of the sick and wounded, 
as it was then necessary to carry sufficient hospitalization only 
for the need of troops within the district. The evacuation 
of the sick and wounded progressed steadily and, with con¬ 
centration of the non-transportable by rail in Base Hospital 
No. 57, the salvage of hospitals progressed with the evacua¬ 
tion of patients. The number of patients at the time of the 
armistice was approximately 11,000. This number was re¬ 
duced to about seventy-five at the time the District of Paris 
went out of existence, July 21, 1919. These were quartered 
at Camp Hospital No. 112, which at one time had been an 
annex of American Red Cross Military Hospital No. 3. 

When the Cascerne Cligancourt was evacuated by Base 
Hospital No. 85, it was taken over for the troops on duty 
in the district. This relieved the congestion in quarters that 
had prevailed, and did much toward keeping the men under 
control. 

With the relaxation following the armistice an increase in 
the venereal disease rate was anticipated, and the Division of 
Urology became one of the most important branches in the 
office. There was an acute rise in the rate during November 
and December, 1918, but through the excellent cooperation 
of the Commanding General this rate was gradually reduced 
from January to May, 1919, when on the latter month it 
reached 49.6 cases per thousand per year, which is comparable 
to the peace time rate in the United States. 

There were twenty Medical Department units in the Dis¬ 
trict of Paris. The greatest number of patients in hospitals 
at any one time was slightly over 12,000, which occurred dur¬ 
ing the latter part of October, 1918. The medical personnel 
approximated 3,800. Of this number, 600 were nurses and 
approximately 500 were medical officers. 

Lieutenant Colonel McAfee was promoted to the grade 
of Colonel, M. C., National Army, May 5, 1919. 


SURGICAL TEAM NO. i 
Lincoln Davis 

P URSUANT to Special Orders No. 60, G.H.Q., March 
I, 1918, amended by subsequent telegraphic orders, Sur¬ 
gical Team No. 1 left Base Hospital No. 6 on March 
3, 1918. The team was composed of Maj. Lincoln Davis, 
Capt. Frederick C. Irving, officers; Glee Marshall, Helen 
T. Nivison, Margaret Matheson, reserve nurses; Corp. Wil¬ 
liam Wilkinson; Privates 1st Cl. Harry L. Park and Nicholas 
L. Marks, orderlies. 

The order read, “to proceed to Headquarters, 42d Divi¬ 
sion, A. E. F., reporting upon arrival to the commanding gen¬ 
eral, for temporary duty.” 

After two nights and a day of travel, with a stop over in 
Paris and Nancy, the surgical team arrived at Luneville on 
the afternoon of March 5, and reported. The officers and 
nurses were comfortably billeted in private houses in Lune¬ 
ville. The team was assigned to work at French Military 
Hospital No. 102 in Luneville, which had been partially taken 
over by U. S. Field Hospital No. 166, under Major Spealman. 

The first casualties for which the team was called on oc¬ 
curred on March 7, when ten men and a horse were killed and 
two men wounded at Gerberviller as the result of fooling with 
a dud shell which was picked up in a field, where it had been 
lying since the German advance and retreat in the summer 
of 1914. The first case treated was one of severe multiple 
wounds with marked shock. Operative interference was out of 
the question, and only an intravenous saline infusion was 
given, the soldier dying within a few hours. The second case, 
also with severe multiple shell wounds, was treated for shock 
for twenty-four hours, at the end of which time, having ral¬ 
lied slightly, an amputation below the knee was performed. 
Gas gangrene later developed, requiring amputation above 
the knee. The boy survived, and was later evacuated to a 
base hospital in what I believe was the first American hos¬ 
pital train in operation at the front, and a very fine one it was. 

The French authorities at Hospital No. 102 held gas 
gangrene in such holy horror that we were obliged to operate 
in the dispensary, and the entire team was quarantined from 

130 


Surgical Team No. i 


131 

entering the operating room for a number of days. Such a 
prudent policy could only be pursued in a restful sector in 
times of comparative quiet, and it seems somewhat grotesque 
in view of some later experiences. Such was the rather in¬ 
auspicious start of Team No. 1 in war surgery. 

On March 23, Luneville was shelled by the Germans; our 
first experience of shell fire. The municipal bath house was 
struck by a shell and partly demolished, shortly after Privates 
Marks and Park had bathed in it. Fortunately there were no 
casualties; but the episode illustrates some of the diffi¬ 
culties and dangers of cleanliness in the A. E. F. In the 
late afternoon of the same day, at a time when the big shells 
were dropping in at regular intervals, and the streets were 
quite deserted, most of the war-wise inhabitants of Luneville 
having retired to their caves, it was a strange and heartening 
sight, though perhaps not one in accord with the strictest 
sense of military prudence, to see a considerable group of 
American doughboys in the Place Leopold enjoying a few 
leisure moments with bat and ball knocking up flies. 

After a very light service in Luneville our team was 
transferred to Baccarat on March 30, the Rainbow Division 
having settled in the trenches in that sector. We went 
on duty with Field Hospital No. 165, under the command of 
Captain Sawtelle, a most capable officer, who was handicapped 
at the time by lack of much needed supplies and equipment. 
Very shortly afterwards, Evacuation Hospital No. 2, Major 
(later Colonel) H. M. Lyle, commanding, arrived on the scene, 
and took over the buildings occupied by Field Hospital No. 
165. Our team was assigned to duty with the former hospital, 
although still technically attached to the 42d Division. Evacu¬ 
ation Hospital No. 2 had a very complete equipment, and great 
energy and much skill were shown in getting it set up and in 
working order. 

Here we worked for the next three months under unusually 
favorable conditions. Supplies were now abundant and of 
excellent quality. There were three other surgical teams be¬ 
sides our own on duty, and a healthy and friendly rivalry stim¬ 
ulated all efforts. Major (later Colonel) George E. Brewer 
was Division Consultant in surgery; he supervised the work, 
and held weekly conferences at which the teams reported 
fatal cases, and results of wound healing. Colonel Brewer’s 
distinction as a surgeon, and his enthusiasm, energy, and 


i3 2 


Base Hospital No. 6 


personal magnetism, could not fail to impress all who were 
brought into contact with him, and to inspire their best efforts. 

Owing to the fact that this was a relatively quiet sector, 
with stabilized trench warfare, we were at no time over¬ 
whelmed with work, and usually could retain our cases for 
at least ten days, so that wound healing could be observed. 
We evacuated by ambulance to base hospitals fifty miles dis¬ 
tant, and were thus enabled to get reports through the con¬ 
sultant on cases in which we were particularly interested: a 
rare privilege in war surgery. 

The x-ray department, bacteriological and pathological 
laboratories were in skilled hands, and permitted of scientific 
study of cases so necessary in the surgery of war. 

The superintendent of nurses, Miss MacDonald, was a 
woman of unusual tact, ability, and character, who had been 
decorated for bravery in the British service, where she had 
been wounded while in the operating room of a casualty clear¬ 
ing station, resulting in the loss of an eye. It was a great 
privilege to have been associated with this brave and devoted 
American nurse, who is an honor to her profession. 

I think it can fairly be said that the team acquitted itself 
with credit at this hospital. The nurses and orderlies 
rendered most cheerful, skillful, and devoted service, and no 
team in the A. E. F. could have been better equipped in this 
respect. 

We were never worked under the severe pressure which 
became necessary later in the summer, but even in this quiet 
sector we had a few strenuous times. One night our team 
operated continuously from 8 p.m. to 8 A.M., and we had 
many eight hour stretches. We were visited almost nightly 
by Boche planes dropping bombs in the vicinity of Bac¬ 
carat, some of which struck quite near the hospital, though I do 
not think the hospital was ever their objective. We were 
about nine kilometers from the lines, and occasionally an 
enemy shell came our way, though we were never under direct 
or severe fire. 

During May there were a number of fairly severe gas attacks 
by the Germans; 180 cases, mostly due to phosgene gas, came 
in one night with twenty-two fatalities, among them two Y. M. 
C. A. secretaries. Evacuation Hospital No. 2 received a 
citation from General Pershing for its handling of gassed 
cases, which to the surgeon are far more terrible and distress- 


Surgical Team No. i 


133 


ing than the wounded. This work was done by the Medical 
Staff, but members of the team, especially nurses and orderlies, 
assisted in it when not busy in the operating room. 

By June 21 the Rainbow Division had moved out of the 
sector, and was replaced by the 77th. Our team was then 
attached to Evacuation Hospital No. 2 by specific orders; 
we had until this time expected and hoped to follow the Rain¬ 
bow Division, with which we had been closely associated for 
three months, and it was a wrench to be parted from 
them. We had seen these boys coming in a continuous stream 
to the hospital, gassed and wounded, in pain and distress, 
bleeding and dying, and had grown to love and admire them. 
Such patients we had never had before; so brave, cheerful, 
and appreciative. Their stoicism and jokes under painful 
dressings, their unfailing courtesy and respect for the women 
nurses, made an impression on all of us which we can never 
forget. There were soldiers in other divisions doubtless 
of the same stuff; in fact, this was the type of the American 
doughboy, and to have been of service to such men when 
wounded was a rare privilege, and sufficient reward for any 
effort. The memory of what these boys suffered, and what 
they did, will always make America mean more to those of 
us who saw them. We were with the 42d only in their early 
baptism of fire; they were later given the acid test of open 
warfare in full measure, and with what credit they acquitted 
themselves on the Marne, the Meuse, and in the Argonne, are 
matters of history. 

On July 19, 1918, our team was split up; the officers and 
men, with the addition of Lieut. Paul H. Lippold and Private 
Chester Gardner from Base Hospital No. 6, were ordered to 
report to Field Hospital No. 331 at Martigny le Roi for duty 
with the A. E. F. in Italy. The nurses were detached and 
later put on a shock team, and served for several months in 
this arduous and soul-trying work in several evacuation hos¬ 
pitals at the front, returning to Base Hospital No. 6 in the 
autumn. 

The new team reported to Maj. Philip Van Ingen, com¬ 
manding officer of Field Hospital No. 331 at Martigny le 
Roi, and on July 25 entrained for Italy, accompanying the 
332d Regiment of Infantry under the command of Col. Wil¬ 
liam Wallace. We arrived at Villafranca on July 27, re¬ 
ceiving a most enthusiastic welcome from the Italians all along 
our route. 


134 


Base Hospital No. 6 


The Field Hospital was at first set up in a small school- 
house in the little hamlet of St. Lucia, later moving to a 
more commodious villa at Custoza, close to the historic battle¬ 
field. This villa was superbly situated on the hills north of 
Villafranca, fronting a beautiful garden. Modern plumbing 
was conspicuously absent, but a very adequate hospital was 
nevertheless established. 

The regiment, which had been reviewed by the King 
on August i, went into camp at Valeggio near by, and settled 
down to a period of intensive training. 

The surgical team had little professional activity for a 
time, attending merely to the routine surgery incidental to 
camp life. 

Major Van Ingen, an officer of great energy and resource¬ 
fulness, was faced with the difficult problem of adapting his 
Field Hospital personnel and equipment, to the requirements 
of providing advanced hospital facilities for three battalions 
which were expected to go into widely separated sectors of the 
line, as well as maintaining a small base hospital to which 
cases could be evacuated from the front. Fortunately, the 
problem was soon simplified by the arrival of U. S. Base 
Hospital No. 102 at Vicenza, under command of Lieutenant 
Colonel Hume. Although technically assigned to the Italian 
service, this hospital arranged to care for American soldiers 
evacuated from Field Hospital No. 331. 

In the matter of supplies and equipment the American Red 
Cross in Italy responded with the greatest zeal to all our re¬ 
quests, and from first to last was of inestimable value to the Med¬ 
ical Service of the Army. The head of the surgical team, being 
also surgical consultant to the American forces in Italy, was 
vitally interested in all the arrangements which concerned the 
care of the wounded. The Red Cross ordered from the 
Italian Government an Ambulanza Chirurgica, which was to 
be put at the disposal of our Medical Department. This 
mobile unit, one of the most complete and perfect that could 
be imagined, was not finished until after the armistice, and 
unfortunately never came into use. 

On September 13 a portion of the Field Hospital was 
sent over the road to Limbraga, near Treviso, to establish an 
advanced hospital to serve one battalion of the regiment which 
had gone into the line on the Piave. Two battalions remained 
in training at Valeggio. The greater part of the surgical team 


Surgical Team No. i 


*35 


accompanied the advanced section. On the same day a serious 
accident occurred at Valeggio; a trench mortar exploded, kill¬ 
ing five men and wounding fifty, among them many officers, 
some very seriously. Lieutenant Lippold and Private Gardner 
of the team, who had remained at Custoza, did valiant serv¬ 
ice this day, together with the officers and men of the Field 
Hospital. Help was sent back from Limbraga, a distance of 
ioo miles, as soon as news of the accident reached us. 
The severity of the wounds is shown by the fact that it was 
found necessary to ligate the common carotid artery in one 
case, the femoral in another, and the subclavian in a third case 
that day. 

Most of the cases did extremely well, there being very 
little sepsis. For the next month Field Hospital No. 331 
maintained two units, one at Custoza, and one at Limbraga, 
100 miles apart, the only practical communication being over 
the road by automobile. By October 9, all cases had been 
evacuated from Custoza to Genoa or Vicenza, and the two 
Field Hospital units were reunited at Limbraga, the remain¬ 
ing battalions having gone up to the Piave. 

At Limbraga the hospital was housed in well-equipped 
modern buildings which before the war were used as a hos¬ 
pital for the insane. Two Italian Field Hospitals occupied 
adjoining buildings under the direction of Major Morelli, of 
the Italian Army. One of these was devoted exclusively to 
wounds of the chest. Most cordial relations were established 
between the Italian and American medical officers, a joint mess 
was formed, and many lasting friendships made. We especially 
appreciated the opportunity of studying the ingenious and 
original method of treating wounds of the lung by artificial 
pneumothorax, as practised by Morelli. 

A few miles north of us, at Carita, was a splendidly 
equipped advanced operating center of the British Expedition¬ 
ary Force. This hospital worked under great pressure during 
the crossing of the Piave by the 10th Army. There was a 
British Aviation Field within half a mile of our hospital, 
and later several Austrian prisoner camps were established in 
our immediate vicinity. The ancient and picturesque city of 
Treviso was within easy walking distance, and was a center 
of supplies. This city was persistently bombed by Austrian 
aviators, and much of it was badly wrecked, rather more so 
than Nancy, though it differed strikingly from the latter in 


Base Hospital No. 6 


136 

that it had been practically deserted by the civilian inhabitants, 
though swarming with soldiers. 

On the night of October 24 we were aware that the long- 
awaited big offensive was on. A heavy barrage which made 
the doors and windows of the Manicomio rattle continuously 
all night, and a bright glow in the eastern sky which lighted 
up the vicinity of the Piave and the jagged Alps beyond with 
vivid flashes, told very plainly what was happening. Occasion¬ 
ally a big Austrian shell whistled overhead like an express 
train. 

Our battle casualties at Limbraga were comparatively 
light. The American regiment formed part of an Italian 
Division, which in turn was a part of the 10th Army under 
command of the British General, Earl Cavan. This army 
played a conspicuous part in the battle of Vittorio-Veneto, but 
the Americans were not actively engaged in its early stages. 
They took part in the advance into Austrian territory, 
and came into action on the Tagliamento on the final day 
of hostilities. On November 12, the day after the armis¬ 
tice, we received eight soldiers who had been wounded 
early on the previous day. These men showed a most 
striking similarity in the location and nature of their wounds; 
all perforating wounds of the hip, received while crossing the 
Tagliamento on bridge stringers under machine-gun fire. All 
did well. The regiment pushed on to Udine and beyond, and a 
section of the Field Hospital was established in that city. A 
small number of wounded were picked up here, but from this 
time on our war surgery was about over. Soon after, the 
resources of the Field Hospital were taxed to the limit with 
cases of influenza and pneumonia, but in this work the surgical 
team played no part. 

By December 9, our surgical cases were reduced to four¬ 
teen convalescents, who were being held for return to duty 
with the regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Davis and Major Irving 
were granted a seven days’ leave in Italy, and on this, the first 
leave for either of them in the A. E. F., they explored Florence, 
Rome, and Naples. It was a memorable trip. The glories of 
Italian art and landscape made an appeal to the mind which 
was only second to the more corporeal enjoyments of soft 
beds, clean sheets, menus, and personal independence. Ser¬ 
geant Wilkinson was later granted leave to England. 

On Christmas Day we enjoyed a fine dinner at Limbraga, 



Chateau de Breiul 

The Nurses’ Quarters 



Ready for Nurses’ Thanksgiving Dinner at Bordeaux, 1917 











The Red Cross Hut 


U. S. Official 



Church Service on the Veranda of the Lycee 



























Surgical Team No. i 


i37 


superintended by our unequaled linguist, cook, and poet, Cap¬ 
tain Sargentish. We were now merely marking time in Italy, 
eagerly awaiting orders to return to our Base in France. It 
was evident that there was no further need of our team with 
the Field Hospital. We had but five operations on three 
patients during the entire month of December. 

The American expedition to Italy, though of insignificant 
importance from a military standpoint, had undoubtedly 
accomplished the purpose for which it had been sent. It was 
a visible example to the Italians of sympathy and cooperation 
in their cause and aspirations, and of allied unity of aims. 
The participation of American troops in the Italian campaign 
was magnified for purposes of propaganda both at home and 
among the enemy, and doubtless had some effect on the Aus¬ 
trians. Members of our surgical team may at times have felt 
that they were accomplishing very little in Italy, but that they 
performed well the work set out for them to do, we have been 
assured by those competent to judge. 

To Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Van Ingen the team 
is very grateful for a most cordial reception, and ever ready 
and generous cooperation. 

While in Italy the head of the team was promoted to the 
grade of Lieutenant Colonel on November 11, Corporal Wil¬ 
kinson was promoted to Sergeant, and Private Gardner to Cor¬ 
poral. Captain Irving was later promoted to Major. 

The experience in Italy was a most valuable one for the 
higher medical officers, as unusual opportunities were ex¬ 
tended for observing the workings of the Medical Department 
of the Italian Army from front line to base, also for observ¬ 
ing the medical organizations of the French and British 
Expeditionary Forces. 

Early in January orders began to come for the return 
of individual members of the team to France. By the middle 
of the month all were back at Talence after an absence of 
more than ten momentous months, glad to greet again their 
comrades of Base Hospital No. 6. 


1 


SURGICAL TEAM NO. 2 
Annie M. Robertson and Maude G. Barton 


NTHUSIASTIC Surgical Team No. 2 started out on 
its varied career one cold morning in compliance with 



it J telegraphic instructions from the Adjutant General, 
S. O. S., and during the entire period from April 10 to 
November 18, 1918, did not once return to its Alma Mater, 
Base Hospital No. 6, at Bordeaux. 

Capt. Beth Vincent was in charge of the team, assisted by 
1st Lieut. DeWitt Scoville Clark. Catharine A. Conrick was 
the anaesthetist, and Annie M. Robertson and Maude Barton 
were the nurses. The orderlies were Privates 1st cl. Joseph 
E. Coleman and Martin L. Sullivan. Their equipment, be¬ 
sides individual bedding rolls and hand baggage, consisted of 
a box of surgical supplies, smaller than a steamer trunk, con¬ 
taining army instruments, gloves, and operating gowns. 

With no further knowledge than that they were to present 
themselves and their orders at Creil, Oise, “without delay,” 
they proceeded by way of Paris to their destination. This, 
however, proved to be a mere junction in their travels. Fur¬ 
ther instructions to continue on to Royalieu being received by 
telephone, they left this battered military city of Creil by 
troop train, crowding out from one compartment a group 
of tired French soldiers going again to the front after 
an all too brief “repos” back of the lines. Even at this 
distance could be heard the steady booming of guns, growing 
louder as the train drew into Compiegne, the nearest station 
to Royalieu. Again, after telephoning for transportation 
and a long wait, an energetic American V. A. D. who was at¬ 
tached to Mrs. Daley’s “equipe ” who in turn was in charge 
of the nursing personnel of this hospital at Royalieu, dashed 
up in a Ford ambulance and conveyed the weary but still en¬ 
thusiastic Team No. 2 to Ambulance Chirurgical Automobile 
No. 7; in brief, Auto-Chir. No. 7. This proved to be a 
French evacuation hospital attached to the 3d French Army. 
Its sixteen buildings, formerly artillery barracks, were long, 
one-story brick pavilions, with cement floors and a capacity 
for about sixty patients each. This group of wards was dis¬ 
mally located on a low, treeless field, just off the dusty flint 


Surgical Team No. 2 


i39 

road, a continuously used highway between Paris and 
Compiegne. 

The medecin-chef, Monsieur Lardenois, was most courte¬ 
ous, but had not expected this American Team, nor, conse¬ 
quently, had he made arrangements to house them. As the 
barracks at the hospital were all filled, an attractive home was 
finally allotted them in a neighboring chateau one mile away, 
the country home of the Mayor of Compiegne, and but recently 
employed as a hospital by the French Red Cross, who had been 
forced to evacuate three weeks previously. 

In this large, modern French mansion, Team No. 2 made 
itself thoroughly at home. Being the first arrivals and hav¬ 
ing an unquestioned prerogative in a well-equipped establish¬ 
ment, it was easy to furnish rooms attractively and comfort¬ 
ably. The doctors took possession of the third floor, trying 
to decide which was the best room, while the nurses chose a 
corner room on the second floor. In front of the chateau was 
a wooden barrack which had been used by the previous pos¬ 
sessors, and here the soldiers founded their headquarters. 

The surroundings were beautiful and the housing con¬ 
ditions ideal. Other American surgical teams began to arrive 
from Base Hospitals Nos. 17, 28, 31, 32, and also an ortho¬ 
pedic team. There was ample room for everybody, and soon all 
were settled and seemed like one large family. For meals, 
two refugees living in the conciergerie prepared breakfast in 
the large basement kitchen, where each partook at his leisure 
of coflee, toast, jam, and even eggs and bacon, if supplies were 
plenteous; for luncheon and dinner it was necessary to walk 
down to the hospital, where all the Americans ate at a table 
supervised by Mrs. Daley, and served in the corridor of the 
nurses’ pavilion. These were perilous meals, as quarters were 
narrow and the flurried French maid, nicknamed “Tout de 
suite ” was ever in a hurry—hence soup did not always stay 
in its shallow tin dish, but often ruined some poor unfortunate’s 
uniform. 

Although there were not many wounded the first month, 
Team No. 2 was put on a regular schedule when they were 
required to be in the operating room. The hours as 
arranged were 7 A.M. to 12 M. ; then 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. ; 12 noon 
to 4 p.m. ; 1 a.m. to 7 A.M. ; 4 P.M. to 8, and so back to the 
beginning of the schedule, ad infinitum. When there was 
nothing to do it was rather awkward for the whole team to 


140 


Base Hospital No. 6 


wait in the operating room. Since there appeared to be no 
other place conveniently adapted to this purpose, a scheme was 
devised, namely, that one of the soldiers be left on duty within 
call of the operating room, enabling the rest of the team to re¬ 
main at the chateau until summoned for duty. In order to test 
the American surgeon’s skill in operating, a few patients were 
allotted Captain Vincent, during this initial period with the 
French, prior to the expected activity. A ward was granted 
him for his post-operative cases, that he might attend to their 
dressings more conveniently, and the use of a surgical dressing 
cart was graciously conceded. The French differed in their 
method of dressing the wounded in that they took every case 
to a local salle des pansements, thereby causing added pain to 
the patient in transporting. 

During these days of quiet before the storm, it was pos¬ 
sible to visit many picturesque and historic places in and about 
Compiegne; as, for example, the Chateau at Pierrefonds, 
Napoleon’s Palace and its grounds, the Compiegne forest, be¬ 
sides the attractive city of Compiegne itself, which was within 
a ten-minute walk of the American headquarters. At the 
Hotel Palace, opposite Napoleon’s Palace, were living Ameri¬ 
can Red Cross men and women who ran a canteen for 
the French soldiers and a dispensary for the deserted civilians, 
Miss Leonor A. Field, of Base Hospital No. 6, being in charge 
of the dispensary. There it was possible to buy a fairly respect¬ 
able meal when food was scarce at the hospital and famine 
imminent. 

The native population gradually increased up to the middle 
of May until times were almost normal in the city. Stores 
were crowded, restaurants flourished, the open market once 
more vended its wares. But again with increased hostilities 
the already intimidated civilian packed his household goods 
in any available vehicle and trudged the weary road to safety, 
while his deserted home served as a target for the deadly shell 
and became a yawning hole. 

On May 28, Team No. 2 began to work in earnest, as did 
everybody else, according to schedule, until June 8. During 
this time 10,600 wounded were passed through the “triage” 
of the hospital; in one forty-eight hours 5,400 went through, 
being evacuated as soon as treated. Only severely wounded 
were operated; and the number of operations averaged 
200 a day. Even when there were long lines of ambulances 


Surgical Team No. 2 


141 

waiting to be relieved of their wounded, the teams kept ab¬ 
solutely to their schedule, and thus, having an even number 
of alternating teams, the operating room was kept at its 
maximum efficiency, as well as the working ability of the 
personnel. 

The French system of operating was admirably adapted 
to just such an emergency. At no time did supplies fail, al¬ 
though economy was constantly urged. The stretcher-bearer 
and priest (combined as he frequently was) had the greatest 
burden to bear, both physically and mentally. The ambulance 
drivers were also going on sheer nerve for days. 

During these days it seemed as though Compiegne were 
almost surrounded by battle. Fires from the continuous bar¬ 
rage at night lighted the sky in more than a sinister semi-circle, 
and by day there hung a foreboding observation balloon almost 
over the chateau. With a five-minute regularity the city was 
shelled almost every night, for hours at a time, with frequent 
bombs dropped here and there for variation from the menacing 
Boche planes overhead. Matters became so bad that all the 
Americans sent their bedding rolls to Paris, knowing well that 
when orders came to leave it would have to be done hastily, 
without regard for baggage. Finally, the road from Soissons be¬ 
ing too badly shelled to transport wounded, operations at the 
hospital ceased, and all possible effort was made to evacuate the 
patients with expedition, by boat down the Oise to Creil, as 
well as by ambulance. Hence it was with slight surprise that 
the Americans received orders at 4.30, the afternoon of June 
10, to proceed to Litz, near Clermont, at once. As shells 
were then landing in the fields on either side of the chateau 
and as there were no remaining wounded at the hospital, no 
one was unwilling to leave. However, only two camions were 
furnished for transportation, and all could not get in with 
hand baggage; therefore, two officers and a soldier were left 
behind to take their chances with Auto-Chir. No. 7. At eight 
that night the Germans deliberately bombed the hospital, but 
no one was wounded, although two pavilions were de¬ 
molished. The Boche planes swooped down over the de¬ 
parting boats on the Oise River and peppered the last boat 
with mitrailleuse, knowing well it was full of wounded soldiers. 

At Litz, the next stopping place, there proved to be a 
newly set up tent hospital including a hundred bed hospital 
supervised by Dr. Carrell, who was most cordial to Captain 


142 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Vincent and his team; there was also a gas hospital, with 
its specially trained personnel besides a general hospital. 
Each was a separate organization in a group under one 
medecin-chef, Monsieur le Medecin Inspecteur Basseres, Chef 
Superieur du Service de Sante de l’Armee. Being literally 
refugees and neither expected nor needed, billets were obtained 
in the neighboring small village of La Neuville en Hez from 
the military commandant, who housed the doctors and nurses 
along the main street in French homes. The soldiers, after 
some difficulty, were allotted a tent at the hospital. There 
they remained en repos until ordered, June 30, to rejoin Auto- 
Chir. No. 7. Meanwhile this hospital had been reestablished 
at Agincourt, between Clermont and Creil, a former tubercu¬ 
losis sanatorium, which proved to be a large, beautifully situated 
building on the edge of a bluff overlooking a fertile valley. 
Here again there was no work to do as a team, but the nurses 
did voluntary service on an orthopedic ward. 

It can be truly said that the French evinced an affectionate 
regret at the departure of Team No. 2, July 11. They had 
proved their regard in many ways, one being by an elaborate 
banquet, July 4, with a band concert in the afternoon for the 
Americans. They had prophesied a still more grandiose affair 
on their own national holiday, the 14th of July; but all Ameri¬ 
cans were ordered away before this to join their own busy 
front. The entire French personnel accompanied them to the 
station, and mutually vowed eternal gratitude and friendship. 

From now on all operative experiences were with Ameri¬ 
can evacuation or mobile hospitals. 

After a brief interlude in Paris, Team No. 2 reported for 
temporary duty, July 15, to Base Hospital No. 15, the 
strategic headquarters for all surgical teams, situated at Chau- 
mont, and there awaited further orders. The following day, 
while operating, orders came to report to Evacuation Hospital 
No. 7 at Coulommiers, which they succeeded in doing at 
about four that afternoon. This hospital, with Mobile No. 

1 attached, consisted of a group of tents around an old three- 
story stone house, the salon of which served for one of the 
operating rooms. With hardly time for each to find his 
dwelling place, the personnel was ordered to report on duty, 
and subsequently operated all night. 

The difference between the French and American system 
of operating was marked, and the nurses were busy trying 


Surgical Team No. 2 


i 43 


to learn the American methods, which proved to differ in each 
hospital. This American system required the teams to furnish 
everything they used from their own supply, namely, gloves, 
instruments, gowns, suture material; but they did consent un¬ 
der protest to make good anything lacking that was absolutely 
necessary for the exigencies of war surgery. One nurse was 
scrubbed up and remained sterile during the entire period of 
operating, keeping the surgeons supplied from a sterile stock 
table; while the other nurse washed and sterilized the instru¬ 
ments and gloves and kept supplies up, besides assisting with 
the bandaging of the patient. She was called the “dirty 
nurse,” in contrast to the sterile nurse. 

On the other hand, with the French the box of sup¬ 
plies brought from the base was not used or needed. In¬ 
struments were furnished, being supplied from a central 
sterilizing room in charge of a poilu, who on demand 
would put up a set of “mou” or “dure” instruments, according 
to whether the case was one of simple debridement or a bone 
operation. The surgeon helped himself from the platter of 
instruments placed conveniently near, and took his sterile 
sponges from a drum. The nurses were not scrubbed up. 
Ether was used for irrigation of the wounds during opera¬ 
tion. Miss Conrick taught the French the technic of the 
Gwathmey machine, a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide 
being used as anaesthesia in cases of severe abdominal wounds. 

It was a great contrast in style and comfort from the 
grand Chateau at Compiegne to an army cot in a busy “Y” 
tent for the doctors, a leaky, muddy tent back of the incinera¬ 
tor for the nurses, and pup tents for the soldiers. Also, 
for pure comfort, the mud and bees were in altogether too 
great abundance. There was no regular schedule of hours, 
all teams being put on duty whenever there was an over¬ 
supply of wounded, regardless of the fact that they had just 
completed fourteen hours of steady operating or were in sad 
need of sleep and rest. Efficiency was not considered. With 
a team to a table, there was great confusion, constant inter¬ 
ference and unnecessary delay in getting the operated patient off 
the table and the next man under ether. For twenty-two hours 
Team No. 2 operated at one time steadily, with half an hour 
off for each meal. After thirteen days of such irregular long 
hours, orders came to proceed with Mobile No. 1 to join 
Evacuation No. 6 at Chateau-Thierry. 


144 


Base Hospital No. 6 


This hospital was situated at Thierry, near Chateau- 
Thierry, by the side of the road parallel to the Marne, in 
a field where there was no mud, but plenty of long, wet grass. 
Evacuation No. 6 was in the process of being erected, and it 
did not seem possible that at 7 P.M. thoroughly fatigued Team 
No. 2 would be operating again all night—but they were. At 
midnight a meal was most amusing, as somewhere in an un¬ 
familiar field, under the dark open sky, was a table spread with 
supper; but en route the hazards of tent ropes and ditches 
were extremely perilous, and when finally achieved it was im¬ 
possible to ascertain whether the utensils had been used before, 
or of what supper consisted. However, in spite of high hopes, 
hard tack and “corn willey” was all that could be found. 
Another difficulty was the frequency with which the electric 
lights went out on the mere approach of a Boche plane, making 
operating as well as etherizing most difficult when carried on 
by the dim light of a carefully shaded candle or flash light. 
This period of activity extended from August first to the 
thirteenth, at the end of which time Evacuation Hospital No. 
6 ceased to function, pending a change of location to another 
sector of the front. On two occasions Surgical Team No. 2 
was sent to U. S. Evacuation Hospital No. 3 for temporary 
duty of one night to relieve pressure at that point. They 
packed themselves and their box of instruments into an am¬ 
bulance and drove about five miles down the road toward 
Dormans. During this period of inactivity, all had a chance 
to visit Belleau Wood, now called Woods of the Brigade de 
Marine, also the trenches on Hill 204, and the citadel of 
Chateau-Thierry itself, which was within half an hour’s walk 
of the hospital. 

On August 19, the whole Evacuation Hospital pulled up 
stakes and embarked for La Ferte, by ambulance, where 
they were entrained that night for Chatenois (Vosges), near 
Neufchateau. On arriving, the doctors and nurses were bil¬ 
leted throughout the French homes of the small town, while 
the enlisted personnel pitched tents beside the track, guard¬ 
ing the equipment and baggage left there. After rest¬ 
ing here three days, another move was made by ambulance 
to Bazoilles, leaving the men with the equipment. Here, in 
a valley, had verily sprung up an American city consisting of 
hundreds of long wooden barracks, being an integral made 
up of many base hospitals. 


Surgical Team No. 2 


i45 


At Base Hospital No. 46 from Portland, Ore., Evacuation 
Hospital No. 6, together with its satellitic teams, was 
royally entertained. After three days’ rest at Bazoilles, am¬ 
bulances were resumed early in the morning for an all¬ 
day journey to Souilly, about sixty miles northwest. En route 
a brief visit was made to the birthplace and memorial church 
of Jeanne d’Arc at Domremy. After a hasty luncheon at 
Bar le Due the long, dusty ambulance train pulled into Souilly 
at five o’clock in the afternoon. On the side of a hill at a rail¬ 
head was an extensive French evacuation hospital of wooden 
barracks, most attractively decorated with flower beds and 
rustic walks between the pavilions. It had been used by the 
French since 1914. 

Living quarters improved from tents to barracks, the offi¬ 
cers had partitions marking off rooms, while the nurses 
were crowded, with thirty others, into a former warehouse 
of the French, and the soldiers had barracks with double 
bunks. The operating room facilities were excellent, about 
equal to those of a base or civilian hospital. There was steam 
heat, running water (shut off occasionally), electric lighting, 
and the usual adequate furnishings of an operating room, as 
well as convenient sterilizing, supply, splint, and X-ray rooms. 
The system of operating differed, in that all teams pooled 
their instruments, and from these a standard set was devised 
which was ever ready to be sterilized, after checking up to 
note any missing instruments at the beginning and end of the 
period of operating. This set was kept in circulation by the 
unsterile nurse, who washed and gave to the soldier in the 
sterilizing room the used instruments, so that when again sterile 
they could be added to the supply on the sterile nurse’s stock 
table. Extra instruments could be had on demand from the 
nurse in charge of the supply room. The hours were a little 
different, and less wearing except after a continuous stretch 
of operating. They were 7 A.M. to 12 M., 7 P.M. to 7 A.M., 
12 M. to 7 P.M., a night of sleep, then the same program re¬ 
peated. With these hours it was impossible to really sleep 
more than every other night, as the doctors were occupied in 
visiting their post-operative cases, while the nurses were obliged 
to do all their own laundry, and moreover found it required 
almost super-human concentration even to attempt sleep during 
the day in their overpopulated quarters. 

While at Souilly, the personnel of the team changed, as 


Base Hospital No. 6 


146 

Lieutenant Clark was placed in charge of a team of his own— 
No. 558. His position was filled by Lieut. Augustus C. 
Gray, M. C, of Maryland, who had been wounded while 
serving with the British. Captain Vincent was promoted to 
the rank of Major. There was a brief interim before the 
installation of Lieutenant Gray as a permanent fixture of 
Team No. 2, when Majors Patterson, Greenwood, and Ed¬ 
munds served in the capacity of surgical assistants to Major 
Vincent, to be instructed by him in the surgery of the recently 
wounded. 

Between periods of activity were opportunities for various 
forms of recreation. There were beautiful surrounding woods 
in which to walk. Verdun, ten miles north, was an historic 
place to explore: some walked there, while others took their 
chances on the passing traffic. Shopping expeditions to Bar 
le Due, twenty-eight miles south, and the nearest town of 
any size, were necessary as well as interesting. There were 
numerous “Y” entertainments and dances in the large re¬ 
ceiving room of the hospital, until the advent of an over 
supply of influenza patients, who usurped all available places. 

October found the general health of the personnel of 
Team No. 2 considerably impaired, but they managed to 
struggle along in spite of this handicap. Miss Conrick, be¬ 
coming quite ill with bronchopneumonia, was in the hospital 
for many weeks. The two soldiers were both unfortunate 
enough to become victims of influenza, Coleman being con¬ 
fined longer than Sullivan. With a steady inrush of wounded, 
necessitating continuous operating according to schedule, the 
remaining healthy members began to weaken and might have 
succumbed if a change had not appeared in the form of orders 
to proceed at once to Mobile Hospital No. 1, at Fromerville. 
Leaving Miss Conrick and Coleman in the hospital, and Lieu¬ 
tenant Clark with his own special team, the weary remainder of 
Team No. 2 reported October 22, at 5 o’clock in the after¬ 
noon, to Mobile No. 1 and were put at once on night duty, 
as had ever been the custom. The nurses, immediately on ar¬ 
rival, were outfitted with a huge pair of overshoes, with which 
to combat the mud, and a warm leather vest in order to fore¬ 
stall the then rampant pneumococcus. 

Because of the steady advance of the army it was neces¬ 
sary to move still further north, for the object and duty of 
Mobile No. 1 was to receive non-transportable cases only, 
and so it must constantly be as near the seat of action as 


Surgical Team No. 2 


i 47 


possible. It was incredible that in so short a space of time 
an active hospital, in full operation, could be evacuated, packed 
up, moved north ten miles, set up, and ready for wounded all 
in a little more than a day. Each individual was responsible 
for the packing and unpacking of his own belongings, includ¬ 
ing bed and bedding, as well as that particular section of the 
hospital under his charge. Mobile No. 1 was equipped with 
large basseneau tents, sheltering, in all, 300 patients, with 
folding iron beds set up on the ground. There was one auto¬ 
mobile sterilizing room with a large steel drum four feet in 
diameter; three tanks, one for hot water, one for cold 
sterile water, and one for distilled water; one autoclave to 
sterilize ointments; laboratory equipment; and two boilers 
for instruments. This mobile room was attached to a 
collapsible operating hut consisting of a steam heated operat¬ 
ing room, an x-ray room, and a supply room. The power 
and electric light were furnished from another automobile 
with adequate engines to supply the demand. This Mobile 
Unit, chiefly from Council Bluffs, Iowa, was most effi¬ 
ciently commanded by Col. Donald MacCrae, Jr., and was 
awarded a croix de guerre by the French Government and also 
cited for its activities behind the Chateau-Thierry, St. Mihiel, 
and Argonne-Meuse fronts. In fact, all of the organizations, 
Auto-Chir. No. 7, Evacuation Hospitals Nos. 6 and 7, as well 
as Mobile No. 1, to which Surgical Team No. 2 was attached 
during its seven months of services in the Zone of Advance, 
received citations for their work during these same activities. 

For three days Team No. 2, but minus two mem¬ 
bers, operated at Esnes in the Argonne, truly situated in 
No Man’s Land, surrounded by low rolling hillocks as far as 
the eye could reach, with Dead Man’s Hill in front and Hill 
304 nearby, where over 35,000 French gave up their lives in 
1916 in defence of Verdun. The ground was unmercifully pitted 
with shell holes and burrowed with dug-outs. It was a dreary 
reminder of all that had occurred there. Added to this natu¬ 
rally gloomy situation was the prospect that the hospital was 
a bright and shining target on an otherwise carefully camou¬ 
flaged landscape. It was moreover set up next to a 
large supply of American gas bombs—the coveted goal of the 
nightly Boche planes. Halloween was a veritable night of 
horrors, weird enough to satisfy the most mischievous of 
youths. During these air raids it was only with the greatest 
caution that a light could be used to continue an operation, 


Base Hospital No. 6 


148 

and then only in case of absolute necessity. At these 
times there was double danger, not only of being hit by a 
bomb, but also of being severely gassed by American gas, be¬ 
cause if by chance the Germans succeeded in their plans of 
destroying this station of bombs, it would take only seven sec¬ 
onds for the deadly fumes to reach the hospital. Work, how¬ 
ever, never ceased nor was the routine interrupted. A few 
of the officers established their sleeping quarters in neighbor¬ 
ing dug-outs, preferring greater safety to the flimsy, con¬ 
spicuous comfort of the marquise tent. 

The wounded, not able to endure further journey, were 
frequently in shock and had severe multiple wounds. Because 
of the great extent of operation necessary, two or more teams 
would work over one patient at the same time, thus minimiz¬ 
ing the time spent under ether as well as on the operating 
table. There was an excellent spirit of cooperation. 

Orders arrived, November 3, for Team No. 2 to return 
to Evacuation No. 6, and after a midnight ride of about 
twenty miles through the rain and mud, in the pitch dark, with 
no lights, the former destination was achieved. Once more 
the ranks were complete, as Miss Conrick and Coleman re¬ 
sumed their places, and work continued in spite of growing 
rumors of peace. 

It was hard to believe the report true that an armistice 
had been signed on the eleventh, but there were no more 
sounds of battle and there was a cessation of the former steady 
flow of wounded, so the actual facts upheld the report. Ac¬ 
cordingly there was great rejoicing and a natural curiosity— 
What next? 

Orders promptly came to proceed to Base Hospital No. 
15, at Chaumont, without delay (the unavoidable delay of 
French travel being legitimate). There was great speculation 
as to just what sort of a future awaited them there. Of 
course, it was the ambition of all Americans to get into 
Germany, to go to Coblenz with the Army of Occupation. 
Also they knew there was need of surgical teams in Italy 
with the American Army. However, no such romantic ad¬ 
ventures lay before Team No. 2. Battle worn and weary 
with a total of 759 operated cases to their credit, they were 
sent back, November 16, to the Base at Bordeaux intact as 
they had left it, on this tour of duty, April 10, 1918, only to 
be there scattered and absorbed into the busy activities of a 
greatly enlarged Base Hospital—their mission accomplished. 


THE SCHEME OF THE SPECIAL TRAINING 
BATTALION AS WORKED OUT AT 
HARCHECHAMP, VOSGES, FRANCE 
Z. B. Adams 

T HE camp was organized at the suggestion of Col. 

Joel E. Goldthwait for the treatment of men with 
impaired function; the men who had become physi¬ 
cally incapacitated. They had broken down in one way or 
another and had been unable to perform their work as soldiers 
in the 26th Division, and physical defects had developed or 
had been accentuated since entering the army, although per¬ 
haps many of them had been able to conduct their work in 
civil life without much or any annoyance. 

In some instances the cause of the man’s breakdown was 
not definite, in others, it was a combination of different ele¬ 
ments, such as mechanical strain, accident, change of living 
conditions, carrying heavy burdens, fatigue, mental depression, 
discouragement, loneliness, and homesickness. Each man was 
a problem. The malingerer and slacker were among those 
sent to the camp, but a large number of them represented men 
of insufficient muscular development. 

About seven miles northeast of Neufchateau, in the De¬ 
partment of the Vosges, in the valley of the Vair River, sur¬ 
rounded by abrupt hills, are two small villages, Harchechamp 
and Basville. One of the truly lovely restful parts of France, 
although but a short distance from the Nancy road, and so 
near the front that the distant thunder of the guns could be 
heard on a still night, yet the little villages with their mediaeval 
chateaux lay undisturbed. Here the special Training Battalion 
was established. The first company was lodged in an old 
flour-mill across the river from Harchechamp. There were 
billets for about 250 men in this old stone structure, with 
its adjoining stables and houses which had fluted tile roofs 
nestling against the steep hillsides which rise from the old 
stone bridge and mill-dam. 

The second company was quartered at the little village of 
Basville, which covered the hill about a half-mile up 
stream from the mill-dam. The men were billeted in the 
pretty two-story stone houses and stables of this hamlet. There 

149 


i5o 


Base Hospital No. 6 


was space for 300 men with their kitchens and equipment, 
making a complete separate unit. 

Broad fields and the Vair River separated this village from 
Harchechamp, and an old church and a monument, sur¬ 
rounded by cedars, united the two villages in a sacred 
union. As the spring opened, nothing could be more 
lovely than these fields with the plowmen and high soaring 
skylarks. Harchechamp, the larger of the two villages, 
stretched along the river bank just under the steep hill crowned 
by the battlement walls, surrounding the two very old chateaux 
which served for the officers’ billets. 

Here, the two upper companies were billeted and battalion 
headquarters were established. This upland and lowland, 
with its woodlands and open commons and pastures, provided 
an abundant opportunity for squad and company maneuvers 
in all weathers and in every condition of climate. 

The men were so far away from any large town or village 
that they had few temptations. They had to be treated in large 
numbers, grouped as far as possible, and their ailments treated 
in such groups. Many of them had already tried to be soldiers, 
but had failed. Perhaps this failure was due to the fact that 
their former instructors had been poor or careless in their 
management, but those who have had experience know that 
men do break down when put through hard campaigns even 
when they are carefully handled and cared for, and that this 
is especially true when the men are new at the business. 

An anatomical examination of the joints shows that they 
are mechanically designed to work in a certain way. An in¬ 
spection of the habits of walking and carriage which many 
of the men who entered this camp had developed, showed that 
they were using their joints and muscles in a very different 
way from that in which their joints were designed, constructed, 
and arranged to work, but this change may have been due to im¬ 
proper clothing and shoeing, physical weakness, or the inten¬ 
tional assumption of some special gait or habit of carriage, 
contractures of tissue after wounds, or various other similar 
conditions. Having determined the physical defects or habits 
of each individual entering the camp, treatment was established 
to correct the defect or defects, and to develop the restoration 
of proper function. The work at the camp was planned, (1) 
to remove the cause or causes of the defects, if the cause still 
existed; (2) to correct the deformity which had resulted; 


The Special Training Battalion 151 

(3) to teach the proper use of the joints and muscles of 
the body; (4) to increase the muscular strength so that they 
could not only get themselves around the camp and through the 
day’s work, but be able to carry the additional weight of the 
soldier’s equipment. The treatment was planned in the above 
sequence. 

The mechanism of the body may, in a way, be compared 
to a machine. It develops more power, runs smoother, wears 
longer, if properly taken care of, than if it is improperly used 
and neglected. The men sent to the camp were those who 
had broken down and were not in their normal physical 
strength and fitness for army duty. They simply swelled the 
morning sick call and could not be of any use, so that in many 
instances they were considered by their commanders to be 
chronic slackers. 

These men could not be made well by slapping a rifle into 
their hands and a pack on their backs, and marching them as 
far as they could be made to go in the time they had. Some of 
them might have stood this treatment, but some would not, and 
by so treating them, irreparable harm might well have been 
done. In other words, you could not cure them by an overdose 
of the medicine that had already poisoned them. The con¬ 
ditions had to be changed, and their tolerance gradually de¬ 
veloped. All the training at the camp had to be carefully 
planned and thoroughly carried out. Accuracy and precision 
had to be practised by both the officers and the men. 

The patients, as they arrived at the camp, were very imper¬ 
fect specimens of manhood, and certainly a most discouraging 
lot at first sight. There is an old saying “you cannot make 
a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.” This is true, but we had 
to learn to make the sow’s ear into the best pig skin purse, 
and a pig skin purse is often better for a soldier’s wear than 
a silk one. This transformation was accomplished with a 
large portion of men received. Something like eighty per 
cent, it was found, could be made into useful material. A large 
proportion were returned to their organizations as fit combat 
men. 

The Receiving Company was quartered in the old mill. 
The green level pastures, surrounded by large poplars which 
lay between the mill and winding river, furnished a capital 
small drill ground for these weak, lame men during the winter. 
All drill and exercise was in the open air, whatever the 


Base Hospital No. 6 


152 

weather, and when the spring freshets came, this company had 
its drill on the high common land above and behind the old 
mill. Both of these drill fields were of easy access without 
marching. While in this company the men were thoroughly 
examined, their defects noted, and a classification made. 

A card the size and shape of the Army Service record was 
filled out in duplicate; it contained the name and number; 
rank, organization, age, and the date and source of admission 
to the battalion and to the army. Silhouettes were taken of 
the body trunk in profile. This was a very quick and simple 
method of recording posture. The personal history was re¬ 
corded in brief, and, in the physical examination, especial note 
was made of the teeth, ears, back, feet, defects in posture, 
and method of using the feet. Treatment was prescribed. 

The feet were carefully measured, and then the shoes 
fitted over two pairs of heavy socks, always giving ample room 
over the foot and at the toe. These shoes had the heels raised 
on the front inside corner to throw the weight on the out¬ 
side of the foot. All the men were shod in this way unless 
there was definite reason for not doing so. No graphic records 
of the feet were made. 

While in this Receiving Company “A” the men were graded 
as to their aptitude and capabilities. They were made to per¬ 
form light police duty, and were given easy calisthenics and 
games, talks on the general principles of the training, etc., 
and demonstrations on the care of their shoes and other equip¬ 
ment. Each man was issued two pairs of field shoes of 
proper size, adjusted as prescribed to correct his balance and 
whatever other defects existed. Straps and simple cleats only 
were employed. When this had been done and their other 
equipment completed, if their physical condition had suffi¬ 
ciently improved they were entered on the roll of Company 
“A,” and began their active training. 

The general principles of the training were in brief: For 
the Feet —the men were taught that the foot and leg are 
muscular members of the body, to be used in locomotion. The 
foot is not a flipper. The triple exercise was taught to 
strengthen the leg and foot muscles after correction by stretch¬ 
ing of any existing deformity. In all marching and walking 
the men were instructed to toe straight ahead and bend the 
knee out, carrying the weight over the small toes. The weight 
to be kept on the outer side of the foot at all times in marching 



Interior of Nurses’ Mess Hall 


U. S. Official 



Exterior of Nurses’ Mess Hall 
















American Graves in French Cemetery at Talence 



Grave of Lucy N. Fletcher 







The Special Training Battalion 


i53 


and standing either at attention or at ease. For the Backs — 
the system comprised stretching of shoulders over a roll. The 
exercise of straight leg raising and trunk raising to strengthen 
the anterior abdominal wall; the men stood with a nearly flat 
back, hips very slightly back, abdomen held up, chin in. The 
position of attention is an easy, alert posture with knees 
straight, not in hyperextension, the weight equally distributed 
on the front and heel of the foot. In this position the man 
is in a little the posture taken when he prepares to jump, and 
is ready for the command. 

The whole camp had a general program, and each com¬ 
pany had a special program of its day’s routine, the work 
in each succeeding company being made progressively harder 
and more continuous, with shorter periods of rest. 

A complete military organization was found to be neces¬ 
sary in order to establish and maintain discipline, without 
which nothing could have been accomplished in the training 
of these men. 

Once each week the Chief Orthopedic Surgeon selected the 
men who seemed fit for promotion. These men were inspected 
in standing and marching, and their records for persistent 
work during the week considered. Silhouettes were again 
taken to record improvement in posture. A list of these 
men thus selected for promotion was turned over to the company 
commander. He in turn considered the duty record of each 
and sent a list of the eligible men to the Battalion Head¬ 
quarters. Special orders of transfer were then ordered for 
the men selected, and the day of the transfer designated, 
when all the men moved at once. Orthopedic and camp record 
cards were sent forward at the time of transfer. 

The medical organization was as follows: 

The duties of each Orthopedic Surgeon were comprised 
of the following: The Company sick call at 7.30 A.M., treat¬ 
ing all light ailments; all men with a temperature or any 
severe symptoms were immediately sent to the Camp Surgeon, 
accompanied by a Sergeant. By this method the morning 
sick call was immediately reduced in size and the men promptly 
treated and returned to duty. 

No men were confined to their billets. If suffering 
from slight surgical or medical maladies which really prevented 
their taking part in the active training, they were given a day 
of kitchen police or other light duty. Every one worked 


154 


Base Hospital No. 6 


unless really sick, and if sick, was sent immediately to the 
hospital. No man was sent to the hospital without a thorough 
physical examination and a consultation with the orthopedic 
chief if the diagnosis was not clear. In this way the men 
suffering from the symptoms of visceral ptosis, not under¬ 
stood without a thorough physical search into the relations 
of posture to digestive and general symptoms, were detected. 

At drill call, assembly, 8 A.M., the Orthopedic Lieu¬ 
tenants joined their companies and continued with them on 
the drill field during the entire morning until dismissal at 
12 M. Their function was to correct the errors in march¬ 
ing and statics, insisting that the correct standing position be 
maintained at all times, whether marching or at ease, whether 
in ranks or out. They had to be constantly on the job, en¬ 
couraging, explaining, demonstrating to the men what was 
expected of them. 

The Orthopedic Lieutenants gave talks to the men during 
the periods of rest between drill and other maneuvers on 
such subjects as the care of the shoes and feet, the proper 
position of the body in marching, proper use of the feet, 
hygiene in the trenches, the fundamental purposes of the train¬ 
ing camp. 

In the afternoon they took on the instruction at bunk fa¬ 
tigue. Here the men were in their quarters with their shoes and 
stockings off, doing the only special curative exercises included 
in the whole curriculum. These exercises were reduced to 
the very simplest possible terms. The triple exercises, i.e .: (i) 
Plantar flexion of the toes held straight, foot extended. (2) 
Hold this, only twist foot in. (3) Hold (1) and (2) and 
pull into dorsal flexion, to strengthen the leg muscles, and 
the straight leg raising, for trunk and abdominal muscles. 
These exercises, coupled with certain very simple stretching 
maneuvers, taken by the man himself either with his hands 
or by standing on the edge of the bunk, were all the special 
treatment given. All other training was given in large groups. 

When the company went to drill in the afternoon or on 
a hike, the Orthopedic Surgeon accompanied them as in the 
morning. He coached them in marching as to back position 
and the use of their feet, and treated any blisters, callosities, 
or strains. The duplicate record card was carried and fre¬ 
quent notes made on each man in the field. 

Any alterations and repairs or changes in the shoe ad- 


The Special Training Battalion 155 

justments were ordered by the Orthopedic Lieutenant, and 
once a week he put each man in his charge through a rigid in¬ 
spection as to the condition of his feet and shoes, noting im¬ 
provement, seeing that the heels were tilted enough and in 
good condition, making sure the shoes were a proper fit. 
The men wore two pairs of socks all the time, and only 
the shoes fitted at the camp—no others at any time. 

This same officer coached the men in their play, attempt¬ 
ing with the sanitary officer to find games that all the men 
would take an active part in. The men were trained to run 
and jump in good form, no attempt being made to coach the 
good jumpers, but to increase the skill of the poor ones. 

Three evenings each week the chief orthopedic qfficer gave 
the junior officers instruction upon conditions occurring among 
the troops, special emphasis being laid upon the methods of 
treatment to be followed in the army. 

Immediately after the evening mess, a general officers’ 
meeting was held at which all matters of interest and im¬ 
portance relative to the general camp management were an¬ 
nounced, and reports and orders to officers given. The com¬ 
manding officer thus made it possible for the medical officers 
to collaborate with the officers of the line in all matters per¬ 
taining to treatment and military instruction and discipline. 

The men advanced from Company “A,” stationed in the 
old mill, to Company “B,” in the village of Basville. The 
routine of that company demanded greater endurance; there 
were longer periods of drill and games, and shorter and fewer 
periods of rest. 

The transfer from Company “A” at the mill to Company 
“B” at Basville, was made to clearly mark an advancement. 
In this sort of training it was considered necessary not only 
carefully to grade it, but also to encourage the men by a 
clearly defined progress, separating the grades from one 
another as definitely as possible. 

In Company “A” they marched without the rifle, and 
had no hikes, but they were taught the care and nomenclature 
of the piece, and how to aim and fire, while in Company 
“B” they carried their rifles during the morning, but had no 
equipment of any kind on the hike during the afternoon. 

With the improvement in their physical condition came a 
marked improvement in their mental condition. The army 
furnished abundant rations, the Y. M. C. A. gave a worker. 


Base Hospital No. 6 


156 

But the real reason for the improvement in mental spirits was 
due to the return of self-confidence. All of these men had 
come overseas in an organization containing companions from 
home. Being physically unable to perform their duties, tired, 
half-sick, from an overwhelming physical strain, they had 
first been consigned to kitchen police duty, and then been sent 
to a hospital or more directly to the special Training Battalion. 
When after proper treatment, shoeing and training, these men 
found that they could march again, take long hikes, and 
later hike and carry full equipment, it is not unnatural 
that their spirits improved and that we heard war-whoops of 
joy when they left our camp to return to their organizations. 

From Company “B,” at Basville, the men who had 
proved their fitness to perform the drill required, who showed 
good form at the Saturday inspection, and who could go 
through the exercises required of them at the examination, 
i.e. y a demonstration of their foot exercises, were transferred 
to Company “L” billet, in the town of Harchechamp. For 
this company the program was made still more exacting. They 
began to be more like soldiers of the line, but they were given 
two ten-minute rest periods in the morning’s program, and 
one half-hour lecture period. In the afternoon they took 
a long hike three days in the week, and a short one followed 
by some active games on two days. 

In Company “M,” into which they next progressed, after 
a similar examination, and which was also billeted in Harche¬ 
champ, the work became still more constant and strenuous. Cas¬ 
sidy, the Scotch bayonet sergeant, put them through a course 
of calisthenics followed by Butts’ Manual, lasting an hour, 
only allowing them short breathing spaces. This work was 
most excellent, snappy, and active. The Orthopedic Surgeon 
was constantly watching their position. Then there was a 
real rest of ten minutes, followed by a bayonet drill of the 
most active sort, lasting an hour. The men took a great 
interest in this bayonet work, and finally we were able to 
develop great agility, quickness, and good form. After another 
ten-minute rest period the morning program was brought to 
an end by an hour of company and squad drill and the school 
of the soldier. 

From one o’clock to one-thirty, this company took 
foot exercises in their bunks with shoes and stockings off. 
At two o’clock they fell in with full pack and equipment for 


The Special Training Battalion 


i57 


the afternoon hike of two hours. Accompanied by their offi¬ 
cers and the Orthopedic Surgeon, they marched for two hours 
with one ten-minute rest at the end of the first hour, taking 
many of the hills at double time, and marching down. It was 
interesting to watch the increase of strength and endurance. 
Looking at the men as they joined the Battalion, and then 
at these huskies four or five weeks later was certainly most 
encouraging. The silhouettes taken of a man as he entered, 
and as he progressed from company to company, showed in a 
very graphic way how he learned the proper standing posture 
and improved his carriage, how the round shoulders and hollow 
backs were made to disappear. 

In comparing our methods of training with the very sim¬ 
ilar training given by the French in reclaiming the “Inapt,” 
the most striking difference lay in the fact that the French 
paid but little attention to how the man held his body and used 
his limbs and feet, provided he got through the exercise and 
the day’s work. If the soldier was flat-footed, knock-kneed, 
and hollow-backed, he stayed so. No shoe adjustments or 
special exercises to correct faulty posture were given. They, 
however, made a great point of heliotherapy. Their men were 
dressed in running trunks, sleeveless shirts, and light canvas 
tennis shoes. 

Between January 1 and March 20, 1918, while at Harche- 
champ, the Special Training Battalion received about six hun¬ 
dred and eighty non-commissioned officers and men. From 
this number most of the camp personnel was recruited. One 
hundred and fifty men passed through the complete course 
of training, and were returned to their organization. They 
were fit when they left this Training Battalion, but how long 
they remained fit, I have no figures to show. One hundred 
men who did not advance rapidly, or were otherwise unfit, 
were sent to Versailles to start the spring gardens for the army. 
It was found necessary to investigate every man who stayed 
longer than four weeks in any one company. In this way 
were eliminated those who could best be used for other work. 
Twenty men unable to qualify as soldiers, and who had had 
experience in driving motors, were transferred to the Motor 
Transport Service. 

The last of March, the 350 men still in training were re¬ 
turned to their commands, and the Special Training Battalion, 
with a small permanent personnel, was transferred to the area 


Base Hospital No. 6 


158 

of the 41st Division, which had its headquarters at St. Aignon- 
Noyers, Loire et Chere. 

One fact brought out by this work was the large number 
of men to be found in civil life who have been physically 
neglected during their years of development. Many of the 
men had given their teeth little or no care. In many, the 
breathing was obstructed, or had been obstructed by tonsils 
or adenoids. They were Bible-backed with poor muscular 
development. One common defect was the deformed feet. 
They had been allowed to cramp their feet and toes in too 
small shoes until normal locomotion had become impossible. 
They did not walk—they hobbled. When they were shod 
in army shoes, they had such weak ligaments and muscles that 
their feet were used as flippers or fins. As to marching with 
a pack, that was quite out of the question. They had to be 
taught to bring back their muscles and then train themselves 
to walk properly. 

Editor’s Note: After the completion of his duty with 
the Special Training Battalion, Captain Adams returned to 
Base Hospital No. 6 for a short time, but was soon detached 
again to become Orthopedic Consultant for Base Section No. 
2, and during the remainder of his service in the A. E. F. was 
stationed at Base Hospital No. 114 at Beau Desert. This 
hospital, originally organized as an orthopedic unit, was one 
of a large group, and under the stress of war conditions be¬ 
came a general hospital, though it still continued to do a large 
amount of orthopedic work. 


DERMATOLOGICAL EXPERIENCES 
E. Lawrence Oliver 

LTHOUGH my short tour of duty at the British Front 
j\ in October, 1917, was most interesting and instructive, 
XJL my experiences while there did not materially differ 
from those of many of our officers. One day, however, stands 
out very clearly in my memory. After Captain Leland and 
I had spent one week together at Casualty Clearing Station 
No. 20, where we were treated with the utmost consideration 
by the British officers, we were separated by orders sending us 
to different nearby stations. On the day to which I have re¬ 
ferred, Captain Leland’s Commanding Officer invited him on 
an all-day trip, and I was kindly included in the invitation. 
Along the road leading through Bapaume to Peronne the 
innumerable graves for many miles on both sides of the high¬ 
way gave mute evidence of the fierce fighting which had taken 
place in this region. 

Arrived at Peronne, we entered a restaurant occupying 
one of the few buildings left standing, this one having been 
spared by the Germans perhaps on account of its excellent 
wine cellar, of which they had made use during their occupa¬ 
tion of the city, and for which they thought they might have 
use again. Here we had an excellent luncheon. Sitting at a 
nearby table was a man in the uniform of a British officer. 
The Colonel engaged him in conversation and, after asking 
him many questions about his previous campaign experiences, 
we left. We were no sooner outside the door when the Colonel 
said, “That fellow is a Boche.” We all felt this was very 
likely true, but the subject was soon dropped and nothing 
further was said or done as far as we were aware. 

About the middle of December, 1917, Captain Mook 
(later Lieutenant Colonel Mook) and I received orders to 
go to Paris for special duty. As I was then a patient in the 
Officers’ Ward at Base Hospital No. 6, and therefore unable 
to proceed to Paris, I was fearful that I would lose the op¬ 
portunity, but fortunately I recovered in time. 

On my arrival in Paris, I was met by Captain Mook and 
Col. Hugh Young, who outlined the work we were to do, 
Colonel Young adding the remark, “You must work day and 

159 


160 Base Hospital No. 6 

night.” Feeling weak and very low in health, the words 
sounded ominous. 

Our work was to write a Dermatological Section for “The 
Manual of Military Urology,” which was to be published by 
the American Red Cross. We started in at once, spending 
most of the first day in the library of l’Hopital St. Louis, 
which was far from comfortable, the library being entirely 
unheated owing to the shortage of coal, but the French derma- 
tologists, whose aid we sought, were not only most cordial, 
but willing to help us in any way possible, and much of our 
time was spent with the great French dermatologists, Pro¬ 
fessor Sabouraud and Colonel Darier, whose advice was in¬ 
valuable to us. Colonel Darier was even kind enough to 
invite us to dine at his house several times, occasions which we 
greatly enjoyed. 

An incident at one of these dinners is perhaps worth re¬ 
cording. Although Captain Mook was only a few years 
younger than I, he had a slim, youthful appearance which most 
of us will readily recall, so possibly it was no wonder that a 
young French girl sitting next to him asked him, in a voice 
audible to all, if I were his father. Captain Mook was much 
flattered, while Colonel Darier was convulsed with laughter, 
and thereafter insisted on calling me papa. 

About February i, 1918, our work finished and accepted, 
and this fact duly reported through military channels, we ex¬ 
pected further orders of some sort. We therefore reported 
each morning at rue St. Anne, but day after day and week 
after week no orders arrived, so that we began to feel that we 
were looked on as suspicious characters. However, we had 
found many friends in Paris, so the time did not hang heavily 
on our hands. Finally, after nearly four weeks of waiting, our 
orders came, and we left Paris with many happy memories of 
work, play, and friendships never to be forgotten. 


THE RED CROSS DISPENSARY AT PARIS 
Wade Wright 

I N November, 1917, Maj. Richard C. Cabot was detailed 
from Bordeaux to the American Red Cross, Paris, and 
shortly afterward, Lieut. Wade Wright, and a group 
of Base No. 6 nurses, Maude G. Barton, Bernadette Cormier, 
Gertrude V. Eastman, Leonor A. Field, Margaret G. Reilly, 
were also assigned to temporary duty with the Red Cross. Their 
job was medical work with the Bureau of Refugees, then en¬ 
deavoring to furnish dispensary service to the Belgian and 
French refugees who had strayed into Paris from the invaded 
or devastated departments of the North. 

They took over a small dispensary which had been estab¬ 
lished by Mrs. Edith Wharton, at 12 rue Boissy d’Anglas, 
secured more doctors, both French and American, enlisted 
French volunteer aids and American Red Cross personnel, 
and settled down to the conduct of a French clinic 
with American methods, from clinic secretaries to Miss 
Reilly’s visiting skin service. The records were kept in French, 
A. E. F., and pure Parisian. Diagnoses ranged from “points 
de poitrine f} to fear psychoses and therapeutics, from cam¬ 
omile tea and the ventouse to a pat on the back. 

From a beginning of ten visits three times a week, the 
clinic grew, by the spring of 1918, to a hundred or more visits 
daily. In June it was moved to new quarters remodeled from 
the old Hotel Beauharnois, at 32 rue des Mathurins. 

By that time casualties were rolling down to Bordeaux. 
Major Cabot had been recalled in February, and Lieutenant 
Wright was left in charge of the dispensary. With the 
spring drives on Paris, early in April, the latter managed to 
get to Compiegne, where there was said to be great need 
for emergency medical work among refugees and the few 
French civilians who remained on their farms. 

Miss Field, with the aid of Capt. Henry Copley Greene, 
American Red Cross delegate to the Oise, established a visit¬ 
ing nursing service for the villages about Compiegne, with 
two dispensaries, one in Compiegne, and the other in Verberrie, 
about ten kilometers south. 

June first, Miss Field was returned to the base, and 
161 


iGi 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Lieutenant Wright arrived in Compiegne near June 8, in time 
to spend his evenings and part of the days in the best com¬ 
mended cellars, while the Boche bombed and shelled Com¬ 
piegne and Royalieu, the French hospital four kilometers 
south, from which Captain Vincent and Lieutenant Clarke were 
ordered about the onset of the show. Some three days later, 
when most of the refugees had been evacuated, the Red Cross 
post was brought back to Verberrie. 

A house was requisitioned in Senlis and turned into a tem¬ 
porary detention hospital for sick refugees. Then the French 
Army re-routed the refugee column and the Senlis project 
was abandoned. 

So ended one of the innumerable skirmishes on the Paris 
sector. 


THE RED CROSS DISPENSARY AT COMPIEGNE 
Leonor A. Field 

D URING the second advance of the Germans along 
the Montdidier-Soissons front, about February, 1918, 
when the refugees were being driven out of their 
homes, and crowded back toward Paris and the South, word 
came asking help for those left behind; old men and little 
children, and work-weary mothers, trying to keep together 
their homes in the face of the enemy fire, which was tearing 
away parts of the buildings or crumbling their stones into 
dust. One had only to be at the Gare du Nord when a train¬ 
load of refugees arrived, to realize to a slight extent, their 
distress, but far more clearly could one realize it by visiting 
their homes near the fighting front. Those who refused 
to leave must necessarily be given adequate medical relief, 
consequently, the Palace Hotel at Compiegne, which in a 
previous raid had been hurriedly deserted, was taken over 
by the Red Cross, and various lines of work were commenced. 
It was easy to see that the inmates of the hotel had fled in 
great haste, for everything was left wherever it happened to 
drop—even the private safe, with doors wide open, left the 
precious candles unguarded! 

Maj. Robert Davis was the officer in charge. Capt. 
Henry Copley Greene was in command of the reconstruction 
work. A loyal band of English canteen workers was also 
in the field, and the medical work was given over to Lieut. 
Wade Wright, detailed to the Red Cross from Base No. 6. 
He collected the supplies necessary for a new dispensary, and 
established it in the only available space in the hotel. Thus 
was located the first dispensary for French civilian relief at the 
front. It was in a small, dark room with no windows, but 
with an outside door containing originally a glass square 
at the top, which had been shattered by a bomb, and 
replaced by a piece of oiled silk and a scrap of cloth. Over¬ 
head was a skylight, but unfortunately this had to be tightly 
covered with an old blanket and sack, so that not the slightest 
ray of candlelight might shine forth to aid the enemies’ planes 
during the night. This room, a combination of medicine and 
supply closet, waiting room and treatment office, although 

163 


Base Hospital No. 6 


164 

in itself inadequate, yet contained all the necessary equipment, 
and, being in the hotel, wa? centrally located. This, however, 
did not mean that the majority of our patients could easily 
reach the station. They were scattered far and wide, and it 
was usually those who lived too far away to come to us, or 
who were too ill to leave their homes, who needed us most; 
consequently the morning hours were kept for office work and 
the afternoons were spent in Captain Greene’s Ford car, look¬ 
ing up the sick and those in need, to alleviate their sufferings. 

The clinic and visits were well outlined and in running 
order the first week. Lieutenant Wright was recalled to “carry 
on” at the “Dispensaire pour les Refugees a Paris ” and Dr. 
Hardy was sent down from Anelle until Dr. Whitlock came, a 
week later, to take up the regular work. About this time, we de¬ 
cided to move our Dispensary into the lodge directly across 
the street. This contained one large sunny room, formerly 
used for private parties, and as an amusement hall by the 
owner of the adjoining chateau. It had four large windows 
and two doors, one opening into the courtyard of the chateau 
and the other into an enclosed garden—neglected and weedy, 
but beautiful with purple and white lilacs and blossoming 
perennials. The room was divided by a curtain into two 
parts; one for a waiting room and the other for the treat¬ 
ments. It contained a piano, a huge fireplace and easy chairs, 
and was made comfortable and homelike with white dotted 
Swiss curtains at the windows, a* writing table, pictures on the 
walls, and flowers everywhere, including little pots of growing 
pansies outside the windows. A large painted sign, the brave 
though humorous attempt of Captain Greene, proclaimed the 
existence of our combined efforts, and an American flag waved 
over us to mark the site of the dispensary and remind the 
French of our good will. 

Our area for medical relief extended from Soissons to 
Clermont, a distance of eighty kilometers, as far south as 
Senlis and as far north as we could find families still braving 
the dangers of invasion. Our headquarters at Compiegne 
were about eighty kilometers from Paris and only eight or ten 
kilometers from the trenches. At the time when our Dis¬ 
pensary was started there was one doctor at Attichy, a small 
village north, whose radius of relief was limited owing to 
the lack of “essence” for his machine. There was also one 
physician at Verberrie, twenty-five kilometers south, an old 


The Dispensary at Compiegne 165 

man who did his best, but was naturally unable to care for 
all who might be sick among his flock of 32,000 people. The 
French and American military hospitals could not of course 
be expected to aid extensively, so whatever work we could 
do for the civilians was pure gain. 

Our first work of organization was to hold clinics on cer¬ 
tain days at the Mairies in various towns; after that we started 
to establish small stations, outgrowths of the Compiegne 
mother dispensary. The first of these branches was organized 
at Verberrie and another was planned for Clermont. These 
foci we were especially eager to establish so that one doctor 
and one nurse might reach the greatest number of people 
possible. 

There were two phases of the work at Compiegne both 
carried on with the heartiest cooperation of French and Ameri¬ 
can officials, and both expanded under the leadership of men 
of high ideals and broad viewpoints; one was the purely pro¬ 
fessional medical relief, the other the raising of the general 
morale and the building up of a wonderful spirit of cam¬ 
araderie. For this reason, to strengthen the bond of the two 
countries, a “Club des Allies” was formed at Compiegne, 
where, during its short existence, the more pleasant side of 
life was most heartily enjoyed. On Sundays, in Captain Greene’s 
car, we went forth loaded with chocolate and cigarettes, as 
near the fighting lines as our driver would take us, where 
under the observation balloons we hung out the “Stars and 
Stripes,” filled our helmets or “tin darbies,” as one of the 
party called them, with American-made cigarettes, and waited 
for the long line in French blue uniforms to file by, in order 
to hand out two precious “fags” to each poilu. It was a 
pathetic sight to see long lines of camouflaged artillery wind¬ 
ing slowly on toward the front, or to watch war-stained, mud- 
caked cavalry returning with only a third of their troops, but 
whether they were advancing men with the resolute look of 
On ne passe pas on their faces, or weary men slumping in 
their returning saddles—each had a glorious look of welcome 
and a smile of gladness one could never forget. 

At night, if it were rainy and cloudy, we came home to the 
hotel to sleep undisturbed in our rooms, and we said, “What 
a glorious night!” but if the stars were out we knew that the 
Germans would try to visit Paris by air, and, if unsuccessful, 
would drop their bombs on us. We had our choice of begin- 


166 


Base Hospital No. 6 


ning the night in our own rooms, and at the first signal of 
alarm, grabbing a pillow and blanket and going down into 
the depths of the huge wine cellar to enjoy a cot beside 
stacks of cold musty bottles of age-old Burgundy or golden 
Chatreuse; or on the other hand, if we preferred we could 
carry our things and our little white candlestick across the 
square into the underground passages of Napoleon’s Palace 
to sleep in an old Poste de Secours, a drier and more com¬ 
fortable sleeping apartment, and free from scampering mice. 
Wherever we slept, we always had ready our helmets and box 
for first aid in case of a “bombing party,” but the people 
were well trained, took few chances, and like us, on clear 
nights, slept in abries. 

Our work, like many another interesting and worthwhile 
undertaking, was cut short. The Red Cross recalled the 
nurse, and before other arrangements could be made, the 
Germans advanced the third time and all Compiegne was 
officially evacuated—so our little Dispensary started, and 
grew, and died, bringing together earnest men and women 
who will never forget the joy and inspiration of working to¬ 
gether for a big common cause. 


A STUDY OF TRAUMATIC SHOCK 
Joseph C. Aub 

I N April, 1918, it was tentatively decided that Maj. James 
IT. Means and I should be detached from duty 
at Base Hospital No. 6 in order to help in the study of 
traumatic shock at the front. The purpose of our investiga¬ 
tion was to find out if possible the abnormalities involved in 
the metabolism of traumatic shock; to explain, if possible, 
the lowered temperature; of course, with the hope of im¬ 
proving the treatment of shock after these problems had 
been better studied and understood. However, it was not 
until September, 1918, that orders arrived for the transfer 
for the investigation. By that time, Major Means was well 
established in England, and was so busy that he could not get 
away for this assignment. As a result, orders for me only 
arrived, and so I started promptly to my new billet at Dijon. 

I was attached to the Surgical Research Laboratory, under 
the command of Maj. Walter B. Cannon, Professor of Physi¬ 
ology at Harvard, who with Maj. Oswald Robertson, a gradu¬ 
ate of the Massachusetts General Hospital, and Lieut. McKeen 
Cattell, both Harvard men, was working on the problem 
of traumatic shock and hemorrhage, and it was a great 
pleasure to join with them in studying these conditions. I 
found that the reason the transfer had been so long delayed 
was the inability to get apparatus assembled for the studies 
we were to make. Most of the material had to come from Eng¬ 
land and transportation was much delayed. As a result, upon 
my arrival at the laboratory, I found that much of the ap¬ 
paratus was not there, so a long delay resulted while the 
rest was accumulated. This involved two trips to Paris and 
much correspondence. While waiting for the various acces¬ 
sories, it seemed advisable to do some preliminary experiments, 
and as a result, some studies were made on cats, which 
gave an idea of the conditions that would be found in 
men at the front. The experiments were so satisfactory from 
the beginning, that it seemed probable that striking changes 
in metabolism would be found in wounded men, who were 
severely shocked. 


167 


168 


Base Hospital No. 6 


By the middle of October, all apparatus was satisfactorily 
accumulated, and it seemed wise to start immediately for the 
front, because the rapid advance of the allies promised a 
speedy end of hostilities; and if anything was to come of the 
investigation, a prompt start had to be made. Therefore, 
Private Baumberger (a Harvard Ph.D.) and I started 
for Evacuation Hospital No. 4 at once in a tumbled- 
down Ford, which looked as though it could not go many 
miles before falling apart. We piled it full of laboratory 
equipment, and started off on a most beautiful drive 
from Dijon to Verdun. Evacuation Hospital No. 4 was 
supposed to be situated in good barracks with the shock 
wards warmly kept, and with as good conditions as possible 
for establishing a laboratory in the zone of the advance. How¬ 
ever, on arriving at these barracks we found them empty, for 
Evacuation Hospital No. 4 had left the day before for a 
more advanced position. 

We arrived at Fromerville, where the hospital had 
moved, and found it on a hillside in a sea of mud—the wards 
in tents, and the whole hospital in a more or less upset con¬ 
dition because of the sudden change of position. The staff 
was cooperative, and in a short time I had a little walled-off 
laboratory, made of sheets, in a corner of the shock ward. 
We lived in long abries, situated in the cellars or first 
floors of the bombarded houses, recently evacuated by 
the French, and I was strongly reminded of the situation 
at our hospital when we first arrived there. The advantage 
of the abries was that they were so dark one could not see 
the dirt. However, the hospital was located where it 
seemed probable that many severe cases of shock would be 
received, for it was eight kilometers from Verdun, and about 
ten kilometers from the front, north of Verdun. That front 
was very active, and patients were brought over very rough 
roads by ambulance. 

We started to work to get our laboratory into condition 
for starting preliminary investigations at once. Several 
hours after arrival we were ready to begin work, but 
it was not until the next morning that the first severe case of 
shock was admitted. We started to study this case, found 
that the procedures we wished to use were neither annoying 
nor harmful to him, and were rapidly accumulating much 
of the evidence which we wanted to obtain, when about 



The Nurses Take a Little Recreation 



French Pavilion Ward 













Ward in the Lycee Building 













































A Study of Traumatic Shock 169 

eleven o’clock in the morning the Boche started to shell the 
hospital, and in no time, all our work was lost because the 
shelling became so strenuous that it was decided to evacuate 
all the patients immediately. Every one started carrying 
litters, and in a short time all the wounded were lying in the 
open, on the other side of the hill, and as fast as ambulances 
could be obtained they were being evacuated to another hos¬ 
pital. By afternoon there was not a patient left in Evacuation 
Hospital No. 4. Two of the personnel had been killed, and 
about six rather severely wounded. Orders were issued to 
get ready for departure to another location. The next 
day we spent packing our laboratory, and two days later 
we had to unpack again, for orders were received to stay 
where we were. By that time the Boche were retreating 
rapidly, and instead of being a few kilometers from the 
front we were nearly fifteen, or possibly twenty. Because 
of the distance we had not been receiving patients, and shock 
cases were now few and far between; so for the next 
two weeks much of my time was spent in trying to find suitable 
subjects, rather than in actual investigation. Then, just as 
the hospital was about to be transferred again to a more ad¬ 
vanced position, news arrived of the probable signing of the 
armistice. We did not move, and no further cases were re¬ 
ceived. From the point of view of work accomplished, the 
advanced laboratory was not a success, but new experiences 
were very numerous, and the whole trip, from a personal 
point of view, one of extreme interest. The country nearby, 
Verdun, Malmaison, Le Mort Homme, Esnes, and other such 
places were striking sights. After the armistice we had some 
time, before receiving our orders to return to Dijon, to see 
many of the devastated villages and the surrounding country. 

On November 20, we returned to Dijon, with, of course, 
the hope of being sent home promptly, but with the inten¬ 
tion of working until that hope materialized. But then, as 
happened to so many, we were told that we were to be sent 
home immediately; so all our laboratory equipment was 
promptly packed up and sent on its way rejoicing. However, 
those of us in the laboratory received no orders to return 
home for over a month, and it was not until Christmas Day 
that we were transferred to Angers—homeward bound. 
After five weeks of inactivity, three more weeks were spent 
at Angers, with the only activity reporting at roll call 


Base Hospital No. 6 


170 

three times a day; then on to Bordeaux to the embarkation 
camp, just far enough away from Base Hospital No. 6 so that 
one could not get permission to go there to visit. Three weeks 
were spent there huddled about fires; no light to read by, 
few books to read, and general discontent with the world. 
Finally, after three months’ waiting with nothing done, nothing 
seen, nothing accomplished, my orders arrived for escorting 
wounded soldiers back to the States. A casual officer, I 
started back on a ship which took twenty-one days to make 
the trip from Bordeaux to New York. 

For three months I had been wishing to be back 
at Base Hospital No. 6 among friends, where associations 
would have been pleasant. In these three months of inactivity, 
if never before, I learned thoroughly to appreciate the 
good times, the satisfactory surroundings, and the bully 
associations that we enjoyed there. I suppose it was essential 
to move about and see other places before one could really 
appreciate the fact that, situated at Base Hospital No. 6, we 
were at least as fortunate as any one in the A. E. F. 


ACTIVITIES OF THE SURGEON OF THE 
WINCHESTER DISTRICT AND COMMANDER OF 
BASE HOSPITAL NO. 204 

W. Jason Mixter 

f|j ^HE first eight months of my army service was as a 
member of Base Hospital No. 6. I will touch on 
J| this portion of it lightly, as doubtless the activities 
of that organization will be thoroughly covered in other com¬ 
munications in this book. During this time I served as a ward 
surgeon with special assignment for cranial cases, as survey 
officer in taking over buildings, equipment, etc., from the 
French, and later as registrar. There is little or nothing that 
requires special mention during this time. 

In the spring of 1918, when our Commanding Officer was 
ordered to England, I requested transfer for duty with him. 
Shortly after his arrival at his new post, Captain Means and I 
received orders to go to England, and left almost immediately. 
It was with much regret that we broke the pleasant associa¬ 
tions of many months to pick up new and unknown duties. 
The journey to England was slow and uninteresting. We 
were in Paris at the time of the bombardment of that city by 
the long-range German artillery, but neither of us knew any¬ 
thing about it. 

On arrival at Winchester, I was shortly assigned to the 
Command of Camp Hospital No. 35, at Winchester Rest 
Camp on Morn Hill. The hospital was just in process of 
construction, and I spent a very busy month attempting to 
enlarge the installation and increase its efficiency. I was suc¬ 
ceeded as Camp Surgeon and Commanding Officer by Capt. 
Malcolm Seymour, who carried out the work that I had barely 
begun, and brought this hospital to a real state of efficiency. 
On being relieved of this command, I was made District Sur¬ 
geon of the Winchester District, a post made vacant when 
Colonel Washburn was transferred to London. 

The Winchester District comprised three large rest 
camps and an aviation rest camp, with appropriate hos¬ 
pitals, a base hospital at Portsmouth, the projected base 
hospital at Sarisbury Court, a hospital at Hursley, and the 



172 


Base Hospital No. 6 


medical activities of the Embarkation Office at Southampton. 
The base hospitals at all times reported direct to London, so 
that I had little direct contact with them. Owing to the in¬ 
creasing number of American troops which were being poured 
through England to France, our capacity was strained to the 
limit almost all the time. The term “Rest Camp” was a misno¬ 
mer, as troops seldom remained more than twenty-four to-forty- 
eight hours; “Camp for transient troops,” would have been a far 
better term. The duties of District Surgeon, comprising, as 
they did, a general oversight of medical activities in all these 
camps and at the Embarkation Office, were many and varied, 
but I was fortunate in obtaining the services of Capt. Frank 
F. Bowman as Assistant District Surgeon. We were build¬ 
ing and enlarging the camp hospitals in every direction, re¬ 
organizing medical inspection at embarkation, and endeavor¬ 
ing to improve the conditions of American troops while in 
the camps. The troops were rationed by the British, and, 
though the ration was adequate and of good quality, it was 
not of the type agreeable to American appetites. For this 
reason, it was necessary to arrange with the British authorities 
to substitute green vegetables for certain other articles, notably 
cheese. There being no direct method of attacking this problem, 
it became the District Surgeon’s job to interview numerous Brit¬ 
ish officers of high rank, in an effort to bring about such a change. 
There were many such matters coming up which required a 
good deal of attention as well as the regular inspection of 
camps, medical and sanitary work. About this time we dis¬ 
covered also that there were numerous small groups of aviation 
troops scattered throughout the district, nominally under our 
medical control. Luckily these were later administered di¬ 
rectly from London, thus relieving us of long jaunts by flivver 
to out-of-the-way corners of the district. During the summer 
the staff of the District Surgeon was enlarged, laboratories 
organized, and by the middle of August, a good working or¬ 
ganization was handling the numerous medical activities in 
the Winchester District. A small but severe epidemic of 
typhoid fever caused us great perturbation, and started a flock 
of correspondence, both mail and telegraph, from Head¬ 
quarters, Base Section No. 3, G. H. Q., and the Surgeon Gen¬ 
eral’s office at Washington. A considerable amount of this 
correspondence remained unanswered for some days during 
the time of the epidemic. I thoroughly expected to be court 


Winchester Dist. and Base Hosp. No. 204 173 

martialed for this, and doubtless would have been, had one 
or two “hard-boiled” regulars had their way. 

In the latter part of August I turned over the Winchester 
District to Captain Bowman, and was assigned to the command 
of the Army Hospital at Hursley, now renamed Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 204. Plans had been drawn for the enlargement 
of this hospital from 300 to 2,500 beds, the idea being to 
pick up additional personnel from casuals passing through Eng¬ 
land. The hospital at Hursley was already situated in an old 
British training camp, but much new construction, particularly 
ward buildings, was needed to accommodate anything like the 
number proposed. Plans were drawn in London, and the 
work organized and started. When the influenza epidemic 
reached us late in September, we had a capacity of a little 
over a thousand, and were opening up new wards almost 
daily. I must admit that we nearly “cracked” under the 
pressure of the “Flu.” Had it not been for the excellent work 
of the Medical Service, and the use of practically all Surgical 
Wards for medical cases under the direction of Major 
Jouett, we would not have been able to handle any such num¬ 
ber of cases. The period from the last of September until the 
armistice will always remain a sort of bad dream, attempting 
always to crowd more patients into the hospital, and to push 
the workmen out. British contract labor was most unsatis¬ 
factory, but the best we could get. The brightest spot in 
the week was dinner Saturday night. At the hour of 6.30, 
Major Bowman, Major Jouett, one or two others, and I, 
would foregather at the Hampshire Club in Winchester, and 
discuss good club food. 

After the armistice the hospital at Hursley became the 
collecting point for American soldiers in British hospitals. 
These were sent from hospitals, large and small, all over Eng¬ 
land. Our job now was to classify these men, equip them, pay 
them, and send them back to the United States as fast as 
possible. 

Working under all possible pressure, we got off our 
last convoy about Christmas time, the hospital was officially 
closed soon after January 1, and the personnel sent to the 
United States or France. A few weeks’ more work was 
necessary to turn over the property to the quartermaster’s 
department or British authority, and then I received welcome 
orders carrying me back to the United States. 


RED CROSS WORK IN POLAND 
Wade Wright 

I N February, 1919, the first relief train of the American 
Red Cross Commission to Poland, carrying supplies and 
personnel, was assembled in Berne. Under Swiss mili¬ 
tary convoy we took a rather adventurous course through Aus¬ 
tria, stopping for a couple of days in Vienna, then starving 
and almost without hope; through Czecho-Slovakia, where 
the proud citizens of the new nation showed no special in¬ 
clination to facilitate the passage of relief to the Poles, with 
whom they were then more or less at war; at last to Warsaw, 
where we were given a kind and sincere, but colorful and noisy 
welcome. Most of the color was contributed by brass hatted 
firemen and the noise by a band, which in our honor blared 
forth British melody. 

The Republic of Poland was then but a few weeks old. 
Rapid progress was being made with the tremendous task of 
civil reorganization, but was greatly handicapped by lack of 
trained administrative personnel, of money, and of materials, 
as well as by the difficulties of conducting military operations 
on at least four fronts with few troops, and those ill equipped, 
with pitifully little food, and very inadequate communications. 

Conditions throughout Poland, with the exception of that 
portion about Posen, which had been German, were known 
to be far from satisfactory, but desperate need was reported 
from the country to the east, back of the Bolshevik front. 
The part of old Russia lying east of Brest Litovsk and the 
Bug River, then in Polish hands, had been fought over since 
1914. From it most of the peasants had fled with the Rus¬ 
sian retreat in 1915. There had been little agricultural ac¬ 
tivity for four years, villages had been burned or had fallen 
almost into ruins through lack of care and the abuses of bil¬ 
leted German and Austrian troops. Into this region, penniless, 
starving refugees were returning from their voluntary exile 
in Russia, moving by rail, walking by the highways or by cross 
country trails. It was this uncontrolled movement of roving 
refugees, thoroughly infected as a group with typhus and small 
pox, practically without food in a country with no reserve, 
that rendered the situation critical and difficult. 


74 


Red Cross Work in Poland 175 

The Polish lines on the Bolshevik front were held by 
patrols of a few men each, widely separated, and though effort 
was made to concentrate refugees in delousing stations along 
the frontier, there were wholly inadequate means for enforc¬ 
ing quarantine measures or for hospitalizing the sick, or indeed 
even for feeding hospital patients or giving them beds or bed¬ 
ding. Beds were made of wooden boxes, shavings served for 
mattresses, for there were few bed sacks and little straw. 
Blankets were almost a curiosity. 

Areas with a population of a hundred thousand might 
be wholly without medical service. The army itself had lim¬ 
ited medical and nursing personnel, and the most meager 
of sanitary equipment. Wounded were frequently operated 
upon without anaesthetics, and lay on hut floors without bed¬ 
ding. There were no ambulances and few hospital cars. 

In isolated villages peasants were eating bread made of 
chaff, dried pea pods, old potato parings, and heather. Fam¬ 
ilies lay delirious in their huts, cared for perhaps by an old 
neighbor woman who had little more than water to give them. 
The edema of starvation was far from uncommon. The mor¬ 
tality from typhus seemed to be low, probably not above five 
per cent, but extreme starvation complicated the reckoning. 

It was in this area, the territory back of the Bolshevik- 
Polish front, that the Red Cross began its field operations. 
With the small medical personnel available, and with ex¬ 
ceedingly limited medical equipment, it was futile to hope 
to offer any considerable amount of medical relief. 

Four mobile units, each staffed with a physician, two Red 
Cross nurses, several Polish-American trained aides, a number 
of Polish girl assistants, laborers, and a detachment of Polish 
soldiers, were assigned stations in centers where it was believed 
they could best serve a reasonably large group of those needing 
assistance. While each unit endeavored to render medical 
aid in a dispensary, efforts were principally directed toward 
the development of facilities for bathing and delousing, 
clothing and feeding the peasants of their respective districts. 

Bathing was a prerequisite to clothing, and even cherished 
beards were shorn as a price paid for the privilege of moving 
proudly about attired in American pajamas. These were ex¬ 
cess military hospital supplies, “the Gift of the American 
People through the American Red Cross.” 

Canteens were established at the unit headquarters and 


Base Hospital No. 6 


176 

in nearby villages. In the towns, populated largely with 
Jews, it was perhaps necessary to operate two, one for Jews, 
strictly Kosher, the other for Gentiles. 

Small hospitals were organized, and orphanages were 
either maintained and operated by the units, or assisted and 
furnished with supplies. Orphans appeared in bewildering 
numbers, and their care became a pressing problem. 

One of the units was in command of Capt. Thomas M. 
Barber, who had been for some months attached to Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6, and who later served as a medical house officer at 
the Massachusetts General Hospital. 

Barber, a few weeks after establishing his post at Bereza 
Kartuska, contracted typhus, and through an unusually pro¬ 
longed and severe illness was nursed by Miss Ruth Waterbury, 
who had been, as an army nurse of a Beau Desert unit, attached 
for a time to the hospital at Talence. 

While supervising, in a very superficial way, the operation 
of these units, I rolled about the East country, skipper of a 
special train, furnishing the units with supplies and distribut¬ 
ing equipment to Polish civil and military authorities. 

In August, 1919, I trailed home, long months after the 
memorable pursuit of Henry Marble through the grottos of 
the South Station. 


FROM BORDEAUX TO POLAND 
Thomas M. Barber 

T HE Polish Commission of the American Red Cross 
was not a Base No. 6 unit, but there were enough 
of the old timers in it to make one feel good when 
we all got together in Warsaw from time to time. Not being 
of the original organization, I do not believe I fully realized 
I “belonged” until a friendly voice exclaimed at my arrival, 
“Oh, you were at Base No. 6 too!” 

A septic foot had pulled me from the First Division at 
Soissons in July, 1918, and I carried a few Dakin tubes across 
France to Base 6 at Talence. My convalescence lasted 
until after the armistice, and I was officially attached in De¬ 
cember. For a while I was assistant louse inspector of home¬ 
going troops, E. Lawrence Oliver being my beloved chief, 
and later was transferred to the 12th Engineers, who were 
sawing wood in the pines south of Bordeaux. 

My first leave was a trip back to the Base, where I saw 
Wade Wright, and came in contact with his irresistible enthusi¬ 
asm. It was in February when he was recruiting for the 
A. R. C., and in this I saw a path of adventure and service that 
would lift the army yoke, and give me a definite sailing date. 

A month of Paris, a swift trip without stops, and I found 
Warsaw, the city of charm, and met Poles who were a con¬ 
stant surprise, for it was my first contact with the educated 
class of that people. The mere fact of being an American 
was enough to open all doors and hearts of both peasant and 
nobility. Wright had whipped a sluggish, poorly organized 
group of Americans into a working organization under diffi¬ 
culties that few will ever appreciate. The Poles were willing 
to help us aid them, but their help was often misdirected. The 
Americans had not found themselves. While they were in 
the process of doing so, Wright put working units in the field 
where starvation and typhus were worst, and kept these units 
going with his supply train. 

Three days after my arrival in Warsaw I was on my way 
to an obscure village in the Pripet marshes east of Brest 
Litovsk. Here Field Director Wright dropped me with three 
Polish Americans and eight Polish girls as aides. He fur- 

177 


Base Hospital No. 6 


178 

nished a squad of Polish soldiers, a carload of supplies, and I 
found a carpenter to replace doors and windows in the only 
available house. The people we were trying to help were 
peasants, ignorant and simple, but genuine, and not to be 
too harshly judged after so many years of continuous war. 
We were not equipped to do sanitation or to combat typhus, 
but we could visit villages of people who had never been 
more than a few miles from home, and sift out the children 
and aged most in need. We furnished clothes and food in 
small quantities, but cut dispensary work to a minimum, for 
almost every one was sick. The head men of villages for 
miles around would drive in to take us to their people in 
light basket-work wagons drawn by small ponies, in which 
we sat on heaps of grass covered by the best family 
blanket, and bumped along over road or marsh, which 
ever route seemed shorter. It was through the medium of 
this family blanket that I caught typhus soon after my work 
started. Typhus seems to have a strong affinity for foreigners. 
Peasants normally do not mind it a great deal, but in famine 
it hits them hard. It seemed as if the whole A. R. C. turned 
out to pull me through. They even sent oranges, an unheard- 
of luxury. As I convalesced I slowly worked down into 
Galicia. While not actually starving, the Poles were doing 
the next thing to it on a minimum ration. The worst time was in 
the spring, when the already scant food gave out entirely be¬ 
fore spring crops could be realized. That was when we 
emptied our warehouses. We saw gay costumes that delighted 
the eye on Sundays, but week days were mostly rag days. 

In Galicia, where I spent the last of my seventeen months 
overseas, we devoted our efforts chiefly to orphanages, homes, 
schools, hospitals, civil and military, and aided benevolent 
societies. We tried to incorporate as much Polish organiza¬ 
tion as possible into our own, to get their close cooperation 
in order that the work might be kept up after we left. Model 
orphanages were established wherever possible, and field units 
were placed in the worst districts. I worked from Lemburg 
as headquarters until the Bolshevik advance in the spring of 
1920 made us partially evacuate to Cracow. 

It was not a dull job. We traveled all over Poland, a 
lovely country with the sweeping Carpathians in the south, 
the endless plains to the north, and the leagues of marshes 
with their profusion of flowers, quaint log houses, hand hewn, 


From Bordeaux to Poland 


179 


with thick straw-thatched roofs, and fat stork nests bringing 
luck to happy homes here and there. Twice I was fortunate 
enough to escort emergency relief trains, one in the bitter 
winter to Dzwinsk in southern Latvia, a new country north of 
Lithuania. The other was one of several sent to Kief, the 
city which at the time we reached it, had suffered fourteen 
changes of government during the war. This trip was made 
in the summer across the rolling rich lands of the Ukraine, 
and impressed me more than any other with the isolation of 
the country. It is a land of villages; few of its peasants have 
traveled more than fifty miles from home, some have never 
seen even their neighboring villages, and news trickles in only 
by word of mouth. Rarely do you find evidence of any edu¬ 
cation. America is the land of promise, and Americans are 
looked upon with reverence. The peasant who has been to 
Pittsburgh and earned a few dollars returns the wealthiest man 
of the village, has a few more cows, chickens, and pigs than 
any one else, and more often than not is made mayor. 

The American Red Cross contribution during this period 
was small compared to the crying need of Poland, but it has 
been said that it was enough to turn the tide of famine and 
sickness, and make it possible for the country to survive long 
enough to get on to its feet at the dawn of its new existence. 


THE GREEK MEDICAL UNIT 
John S. Hodgson 


t | ^HE Greek Medical Unit of the American Red Cross 
was organized by Capt. Paul D. White, of Base 
JL Hospital No. 6, U. S. A., under the direction of Col¬ 
onel Anderson, A. R. C., Commissioner to the Balkan States. 
The members of the unit were Captain White, and Lieuten¬ 
ants Binger, Clark, and Hodgson, of Base Hospital No. 6, 
and Captain Crawford, Unit O, attached to Base Hospital 
No. 6. These officers were discharged from the U. S. Army 
at St. Aignan, France, on January 31, and joined the American 
Red Cross on February 1, 1919. 

The Red Cross started its relief campaign in the Balkan 
States after the war ended. The work consisted in the 
distribution of food and clothing, and in medical relief. 
The headquarters for the Balkan States was at this time in 
Rome, and that for Greece was in Athens. While the work 
in Greece included the mainland of old Greece and the islands, 
the chief center of relief was Eastern Macedonia, only recently 
recovered from Turkey and Bulgaria. 

Already before our arrival the Red Cross had begun to 
distribute food and clothing in this region, but the few doc¬ 
tors there had been detailed to care for Red Cross person¬ 
nel and organization in Athens. As at first organized, our 
unit was to equip and operate a twenty-bed general hospital 
with Red Cross supplies, in some especially needy area, and 
later turn it over to the Greek Government. In Paris we 
requisitioned the necessary supplies, and then proceeded to 
Athens via Rome. Just preceding our arrival in Rome came 
the news of a typhus epidemic in Eastern Macedonia. This 
led to the abandonment of our hospital plan and our immedi¬ 
ate departure for Athens. The trip from Rome to Athens 
merits more space than I am permitted. We went by train to 
Taranto, the ancient Tarentum, in the “instep,” then a twenty- 
four hour sail across the Ionian Sea into the Gulf of Corinth 
to Itea, on the northern shore near the foot of Parnassus. 
Thence we were taken over the mountains past Delphi by 
lorry, to the Athens-Salonika railroad, and on to Athens by 
train. 

180 



The Greek Medical Unit 181 

While information as to the true state of affairs in Mace¬ 
donia was necessarily meagre and unreliable, there seemed 
to be no doubt that we were all needed there at once. Accord¬ 
ingly, all except Captain Crawford, who had remained behind 
in Rome on account of delayed baggage, left Athens as soon 
as louse-proof gowns were made, and proceeded by train to 
Eastern Macedonia, under the direction of Mai. Samuel T. 
Walker, A. R. C. 

Our route took us along such historic spots as the Vale 
of Tempe, Mount Olympus, Thebes, and Chaeronea to Salon¬ 
ika, thence by Lake Doiran and Rupel Pass, famous in the 
Salonika campaign, Demir-Hissar, and Serres in the Struma 
valley, to Drama. At Drama we left our train and proceeded 
by camion over the coastal range mountains to Kavalla, where 
our work began. We arrived here March 9. 

Kavalla is a very picturesque old Turkish town, about one 
hundred miles from the Bulgarian frontier of Thrace. It is 
the Biblical Neapolis, and is built on the mountain side over¬ 
looking a roadstead of the Aegean, the island of Thasos fif¬ 
teen miles away, and Mount Athos, the home of monasteries, in 
the far distance. Kavalla is the tobacco port for the very 
fertile plains in the hinterland, producing some of the finest 
cigarette tobacco in the world. Its pre-war population was 
about forty thousand, but during the great war, under Bul¬ 
garian occupation, it was reduced to twenty-five thousand. 

As is well known, typhus fever is endemic in most of the 
Balkan States, with occasional slight epidemics,, especially in 
war time. There had been an epidemic in Drama and Kavalla 
in 1917, during Bulgarian control, with six thousand cases 
and two thousand deaths at Drama. The present epidemic 
was introduced into Kavalla in February, 1919, by a ship¬ 
load of a thousand refugees arriving unexpectedly from Varna, 
the Bulgarian Black Sea port. Among this number were dis¬ 
covered three hundred cases of typhus. Emergency measures 
had to be adopted by the Greek authorities, and most of the 
ship-load, whether sick or well, were corralled by the munic¬ 
ipal authorities in a large tobacco warehouse. Almost wholly 
lacking in methods of isolation, disinfestation, and quarantine 
in this crisis, the disease continued to spread among those in 
the warehouse, and was carried into and beyond the town 
before the military authorities intervened. When we arrived 
in Kavalla, the military and civil authorities were working to- 


182 


Base Hospital No. 6 


gether under the direction of the Greek Surgeon General, Col¬ 
onel Kanavatzoglu, and his capable assistant, Lieutenant Mou- 
toussis. They had established separate typhus hospitals for mil¬ 
itary and civilian cases, had adopted a system for disinfesting 
typhus patients, and had begun a daily house-to-house inspec¬ 
tion for new cases; they had a quasi-quarantine inadequately en¬ 
forced, and had established examining and delousing stations at 
the various main points of entrance into the town. Thus the 
nucleus of an adequate system for combating typhus had 
been begun before our arrival. 

Theoretically, the organization was good, but practically 
it was not working satisfactorily, as the daily incidence of the 
disease proved. The main principles were not rigidly en¬ 
forced, and the importance of carrying out details was not 
grasped. Moreover, there was a great dearth of doctors. 
They were manifestly in need of help, and we were welcomed 
and naturally given a fairly free hand. It was decided that 
the best policy lay in keeping the Greek army authorities in 
charge, we acting in an advisory capacity, and lending 
our active assistance whenever needed. At first our time was 
spent watching the Greek system in operation; then making 
suggestions along lines of needed improvement at regular con¬ 
ferences with the Greek authorities, and finally participating 
in putting the system into execution. 

The organism causing typhus exanthematicus has not been 
discovered, despite the arduous researches of Nicolle, Plotz, 
and many others. It is now generally admitted, however, that 
the intermediary host is the head louse, the body louse, and 
possibly the pubic louse. The attack, therefore, must be 
directed against the louse. There was nothing exceptionally 
novel in our plan of dealing with typhus fever. In the main, 
it closely resembled the system employed by Dr. Strong in 
Serbia, in 1915, and by the Bulgarians, under German super¬ 
vision, during Bulgar occupation in Eastern Macedonia. The 
town was divided into sections for the purpose of a house-to- 
house examination. The sections were inspected daily by a 
doctor, accompanied by a Greek interpreter. Captain White 
and Lieutenants Binger, Clark, and Hodgson each had a 
section. At the end of each day a written report was made 
at a conference held in the Demarch’s or Nomarch’s office. 
Inspection had to be made very carefully. No room, corner, 
or cellar, or member of the household could be overlooked 


The Greek Medical Unit 183 

in a country so teeming with superstition of doctors and 
hospitals. 

Directly a case of typhus was discovered, the patient was 
removed to a typhus hospital, the family deloused, the house 
disinfected, and the family quarantined for two to three weeks. 
Quarantine was enforced by Greek soldiers, through whom 
the families were rationed. The patient having arrived at 
the hospital was stripped, all hair was clipped, the body was 
given a hot soap and water bath, and treated with kerosene 
and olive oil, equal parts, and put to bed. There was no par¬ 
ticular medication, though some faith was held locally in the 
efficacy of caffeine, camphor in oil, and adrenalin in cases of 
marked asthenia with lowered pressure. Mouth care, to guard 
against parotitis, was too often neglected. Ordinarily there 
is little else to do except to keep up nutrition, for most cases 
run their course in ten to fourteen days, or die sooner if of 
the severe or hemorrhagic form. Each of the two typhus hos¬ 
pitals, civilian and military, had its own delousing plant. There 
were also two large public delousing stations. Every inhabi¬ 
tant of the city and every soldier was required to undergo 
prophylactic treatment at one of these stations once a week, 
and to have certified proof of this in the form of a card, 
constantly on hand. 

These stations were formerly the old public Turkish baths, 
adapted to present needs by the addition of Serbian barrels 
for disinfesting clothes. The procedure here, as in the case 
of typhus, consisted in the clipping of all hair, hot baths, the 
application of kerosene oil and olive oil, and the steaming of 
all clothing at ioo° C. for one hour. Having discovered a 
case of typhus, the other members of a family or military unit 
in which it occurred were treated at the delousing station, the 
house cleansed and white-washed, and the household or unit 
quarantined for two to three weeks. It was in the matter of 
details connected with the disinfestation of clothing, and the 
proper enforcement of quarantine, etc., that the help of the 
Red Cross was most needed and effective. The Greek authori¬ 
ties had conceived many of the main principles, but had neg¬ 
lected the details, and all our energy was summoned to impress 
their importance. The Greeks were most affable and coop¬ 
erative, but untrained and forgetful. 

Regulations were put into effect for safe-guarding against 
the introduction of new cases from without, and against carry- 


184 


Base Hospital No. 6 


ing the disease from Kavalla into the neighboring country, by 
the establishment of inspection stations on the various main 
roads leading into the city. All traffic was inspected at these 
points, and every individual was required to produce his 
delousing card, or failing that, to undergo the delousing process 
at once. By daily inspection of traffic to and from the city, by 
expedition in getting cases into the hospital, by proper disin¬ 
festation and quarantine, the Kavalla typhus epidemic was 
gradually checked and reduced from several to no new cases per 
day. The advent of spring, and with it improved living con¬ 
ditions, and the annual Easter house-cleaning and white-wash¬ 
ing, however, must have been a highly important factor. 

For personal protection—at the start of our work in 
Kavalla, we employed for a brief time our louse-proof gowns, 
which were also provided for attendants at delousing sta¬ 
tions. These gowns were tried on the recommendation of 
Dr. Strong as a result of his experience in Serbia in 1915. 
They were a one-piece cotton suit with the only openings at the 
neck and wrists, and these were provided with draw-strings. 
They were worn as under-clothes and not over the outer 
clothing, but were found to be rather impractical and were 
abandoned. After that our clothes were sterilized and laun¬ 
dered by Red Cross domestics, and the usual precautions 
against vermin observed. 

To avoid a repetition of this epidemic, a quarantine camp 
was later established at Kavalla for further refugees. The 
Kavalla epidemic was practically over a month after our ar¬ 
rival, and at the end of this time, Captain White and Lieuten¬ 
ant Hodgson proceeded to Drama, while Lieutenant Binger 
remained to assist Lieutenant Moutoussis in establishing the 
quarantine camp. The Drama situation was somewhat differ¬ 
ent. There had been no great influx of the disease as at 
Kavalla, but to the endemic form had been more recently 
added a certain number of refugees, some coming by train 
from Bulgaria, and some straggling over the border. The 
disease did assume a slightly epidemic form, but not until 
the Kavalla experience had resulted in organization all around. 

Drama was another very interesting old Turkish town, 
built on one end of the plain of Philippi, in the heart of the 
tobacco district at the foot of the mountains, on the railroad 
from Salonika to Constantinople, about fourteen hours from 
the former. Its narrow, tortuous streets, its peculiar popula- 



Veranda of the Lycee 


U. S. Official 



Operating Room 


U. S. Official 












One of the New American Wards 


U. S. Official 



U. S. Oflicial 


Another View of Surgical and Orthopedic Wards 
















The Greek Medical Unit 


185 

tion of Greeks, Turks, Jews, Tziganes, and Vlachs, its storks, 
etc., leave an indelible impression. At Drama we occupied 
the former Tameion or Treasury Building. This town had 
been Bulgarian headquarters during their occupation, but 
aside from slight damage by occasional British airplane raids, 
had suffered little destruction. It was about the same size as 
Kavalla. Our work here lasted only about a week, for by the 
time we arrived, the epidemic had been largely checked by a 
very efficient organization under the immediate control of 
Lieutenant Kyriazides. 

On April 11, Captain White and Lieutenant Hodgson pro¬ 
ceeded to Serres in the Struma valley. Before the Balkan 
Wars of 1912 and 1913, Serres had a population of thirty 
thousand, but at the time we were there this had been reduced 
to fifteen or twenty thousand. Formerly one of the most beau¬ 
tiful towns in Macedonia, it had, in places, chiefly during the 
Balkan Wars, and to a certain extent during the great war, 
been reduced to a mass of ruins. Serres, which was just 
behind the Bulgar trenches during most of the war, lies in 
the valley of the Struma River, between parallel mountain 
ranges in close proximity to the huge marshes producing the 
anopheles mosquito, which was responsible for the enormous 
incidence of malaria among the civil population and among 
the allied forces during the war. While there we occupied 
the former residence of a Turkish bey. 

In connection with Serres one should never fail to men¬ 
tion the great number of birds; jackdaws, ringdoves, owls, and 
storks, particularly the latter. Coming from Egypt in the 
spring, these gaunt birds, with incessantly clattering beaks, 
build their nests in poplars, on roof tops, and on the domes 
of mosques, absolutely unmolested. 

On arriving in Serres, on April 11, 1919, Captain White 
and Lieutenant Hodgson found a fair organization, and typhus 
on the wane. Under the direction of the Greek Surgeon Gen¬ 
eral, Colonel Kanavatzoglu, a reorganization took place 
shortly after our arrival. The new plan met with our ap¬ 
proval, and we merely assisted in carrying it out. It corre¬ 
sponded exactly to the Kavalla plan, with the addition, in each 
section to be inspected, of a school teacher, a Greek Pappas, 
and a Turkish Hodja. Typhus was already on the decline 
with an average daily incidence of three to five cases, and in 
about a month the epidemic had been checked. 


18 6 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Aside from typhus fever, and a certain amount of chronic 
invalidism from malaria, there was surprisingly little disease 
in Eastern Macedonia at this time. 

Lieutenant Binger remained for a time in Kavalla, but later 
joined us in Serres. Lieutenant Clark left us in Kavalla, in 
March, and returned to the United States, via Athens and the 
Piraeus, because of the illness of his mother. Captain Crawford 
never joined the rest of the unit, being stationed most of the 
time at headquarters in Athens. Lieutenant Hodgson contracted 
typhus fever in Serres, in April, and he and Lieutenant Binger 
later left there for home, via Athens, Marseilles, and Paris. 
Captain White remained in Greece until July i, visiting hos¬ 
pitals throughout the country, and requisitioning the needed 
supplies. He returned home via Constantinople, Roumania, 
Austria, Switzerland, and France. 

The original hope of the Greek Medical Unit, that of es¬ 
tablishing a hospital, was never realized, but the work finally 
accomplished was just as important. Aside from the as¬ 
sistance given, there was the advantage to us and to the Greeks 
of the setting up of a closer understanding, a better mutual 
appreciation, and a lasting friendship. 

Captain White received the decorations of the Military 
Medal, and the Order of the Redeemer; Captain Crawford, 
the Military Medal; Lieutenant Binger, the Military Medal, 
and the Order of the Royal Battalion of George First; Lieu¬ 
tenant Clark, the Military Medal; and Lieutenant Hodgson, 
the Greek War Cross, and the Order of the Royal Battalion 
of George First. 


OFFICIAL CHRONOLOGY, U. S. ARMY BASE 
HOSPITAL NO. 6 


Edited by 

George A. Leland, 

I. GENERAL EVENTS OF IMPORTANCE 

June, 1916, to June, 1917* Base Hospital No. 6 organized and prepa¬ 
rations made for mobilization of Unit. 

1917: 

May 24 to June 4. Enlistment of personnel of Unit by 1st Lieut. Paul 
D. White, M. R. C., the first of the Unit to be called into active 
service. 

May 29. Maj. Frederic A. Washburn, M. R. C., assumed command 
of Unit. 

June 1. Medical Detachment proceeded to Fort Strong under charge 
of 1st Lieut. Eugene Villaret, C. A. C., by order of the War De¬ 
partment. From that date until July 9 the Medical Detachment 
was drilled at Fort Strong by Lieutenant Villaret, Company 
Commander. 

June 28. 64 nurses, 6 secretaries, and 1 dietitian entered active service. 

June 29. Nurses left Boston for Ellis Island. 

July 3. 26 officers and 1 Red Cross chaplain entered active service 
at Fort Strong, Boston. 

July 9. Officers and men left Boston. 

July 10. Went on board S. S. Aurania at New York. 

July 11. Unit sailed at 4.45 p.m. 

July 20. U. S. Destroyer No. 60 appeared off the starboard quarter 
at 3.07 p.m. 

July 21. Arrived at Queenstown Harbor at 12.35 P - M - 

July 22. Left Queenstown at 11.20 p.m. 

July 23. Arrived at Liverpool at noon. Traveled directly by special 
train to Southampton. Capt. William J. Mixter, M. R. C., and 
eight men of Medical Detachment left at Liverpool to look after 
hospital freight. 

July 24. Spent the day in Southampton waters, off Cowes, on Aus¬ 
tralian Hospital Ship Warilda. Sailed for Le Havre at 7 p.m. 

July 25. Arrived at Le Havre at 2 a.m. 

187 


188 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1917: 

July 25 to July 27. Enlisted men and several officers at British Rest 
Camp at Le Havre. Remaining officers quartered in hotels; secre¬ 
taries and nurses at Jeanne d’Arc Orphanage. 

July 27. Left Le Havre about 5 p.m. on special train. 

July 28. Arrived at Bordeaux at 11.30 a.m. Medical Detachment, 
secretaries, nurses, and several officers quartered at French Hos¬ 
pital Complementaire No. 25 (Petit Lycee de Bordeaux), Talence. 
Remaining officers quartered in hotels in Bordeaux for two to three 
weeks. 

Sept. 1. French Hospital Complementaire No. 25 (Petit Lycee de 
Bordeaux), Talence, turned over by the Medecin-Chef by order of 
General Clarac, Director of the Service de Sante of the 18th 
Region. 

Sept. 5. Administration Building occupied. 

Sept. 8. Main construction work started. (See Section II, p. 192.) 

Oct. 28. First visit of General Pershing. 

Nov. 20. Heads of professional services appointed. 

Dec. 25. Red Cross Hut for enlisted personnel opened for use. 

1918: 

Jan. 30. 100 beds set aside for French wounded. 

March 1. Chateau de Breuil leased for nurses. 

March 13. Visit of General Pershing and Secretary of War Baker. 

April 3. First large convoy received, American Ambulance Train 
No. 53, from up the line. Patients chiefly convalescent, some from 
slight wounds received in action. Number of patients, 326. 

April 8. French convoy received, mostly slightly wounded. Number 
of patients, 99. 

April 25. Command of hospital taken over by Maj. Warren L. Bab¬ 
cock, M. R. C., Major Washburn leaving for England. 

May 13. Second large convoy, chiefly convalescent from slight wounds 
and gas. Number of patients, 399. 

May 13. Chateau de Beycheville opened by Red Cross for use as 
convalescent officers’ ward of hospital. 

May 21. Son (George Edwin Bucklin) of American Consul, Bor¬ 
deaux, born at this hospital. 

June 4. 2d French Convoy, mostly slightly wounded. Number of 
patients, 80. 

June 14 and 19. 3d and 4th convoys, together more than a thousand 
Americans, fresh from the front at Chateau-Thierry and Mont- 
didier, chiefly wounded and gassed. 


Official Chronology 


189 


1918: 

July 4. Independence Day. Celebrated by French and Americans. 
Convoy No. 6, Sanitary Train 53, from Evacuation Hospital 
No. 7, 351 patients—American. 

July 7. School for Instruction for Casual Officers established, the 
instruction being given by members of the Surgical and Medical 
Staffs of the Hospital. 

July 9. Convoy No. 7, French Train, from French Hospital, Beauvais, 
128 patients—American. 

July 14. “Bastile Day.” Celebrated by Americans and French. 

July 22. Convoy No. 8, Sanitary Train 64, from A. R. C. Hosp., 
Paris, 630 patients—American. 

July 23. Convoy No. 9, Sanitary Train 60, from A. R. C. Hosp., 
Paris, 662 patients—American. 37 French patients received from 
French convoy. 

July 24. Convoy No. 10, French Train, from A. R. C. Hosp., Paris, 
50 patients—American. 

July 26. Convoy No. 11, Sanitary Train 58, from A. R. C. Hosp., 
Paris, 578 patients—American. 

July 29. Convoy No. 12, Br. Tr. 36, from Evacuation Hosp. No. 8, 
204 patients—American. 

July 30. Third visit of General Pershing. 

Aug. 1. Convoy No. 13, Br. Tr. 37, from Evacuation Hospital No. 7, 
150 patients—American. 

Aug. 8. Visit of Brig.-Gen. M. W. Ireland, Chief Surgeon, A. E. F. 

Aug. 9. Convoy No. 14, Sanitary Train 53, from Paris Hospitals, 
489 patients—American. 

Aug. 10. Convoy No. 15, Br. Tr. 31, from Paris Hospitals, 501 
patients—American. 

Aug. 17. Reservation of 100 beds for French wounded canceled by 
French authorities on request of Chief Surgeon, A. E. F. 

Aug. 18. Convoy No. 16, Sanitary Train 61, from Base Hospitals 
Nos. 18, 66, 116, 300 patients—American. 

Aug. 20. Convoy No. 17, Sanitary Train 52, from Base Hospitals 
Nos. 46, 18, 360 patients—American. 

Aug. 23. Convoy No. 18, Sanitary Train 51, from Base Hospital 
No. 17, 305 patients—American. 

Aug. 28. “Crisis Emergency” capacity of hospital increased to 3,898 
beds and cots, including Red Cross Huts and corridors. 

Aug. 30. Convoy No. 19, Sanitary Train 52, from Base Hospitals 
Nos. 31, 32, 398 patients—American. 


190 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918: 

Sept. 1. All soldiers patients in hospital, except marines, paid 45 francs 
each, partial payment, per tel. orders C. S. A. E. F. August 29, 1918. 

Sept. 5. Convoy No. 20, Sanitary Train 54, from Base Hospitals 
Nos. 66, 17, 15, 380 patients—Americans. 

Sept. 6. Convoy No. 21, Sanitary Train 45, from Base Hospitals 
Nos. 18, 42, 43, 46, 116, 180 patients—American. 

Sept. 20. Second visit of Secretary of War, Newton D. Baker, ac¬ 
companied by Gen. Tasker H. Bliss. 

Sept. 26. Convoy No. 22, Sanitary Train 64, from Evacuation Hos¬ 
pitals Nos. 6, 7, 449 patients—American. 

Sept. 28. Convoy No. 23, Sanitary Train 54, from Base Hospitals 
Nos. 52, 58, 450 patients—American. 

Oct. 1. Second payment to all soldiers patients in hospital, except 
marines, of 45 francs each, partial payment, per tel. orders C. S. 
A. E. F. August 29, 1918. 

Oct. 8. Convoy No. 24, Sanitary Train 64, from Base Hospitals 
Nos. 23, 36, 452 patients—American. 

Oct. 12. Convoy No. 25, Sanitary Train 66, from Toul, 380 patients 
—American. 

Oct. 16. Convoy No. 26, Sanitary Train 52, from Basoilles, 420 
patients—American. 

Oct. 17. Convoy No. 27, Sanitary Train 55, from Evacuation Hos¬ 
pital No. 7, 418 patients—American. 

Oct. 21. Convoy No. 28, Sanitary Train 63, from Souilly, 642 pa¬ 
tients—American. 

Oct. 24. Convoy No. 29, Sanitary Train 50, from Souilly, 305 pa¬ 
tients—American. 

Oct. 27. Convoy No. 30, Sanitary Train 58, from Souilly, 509 patients 
—American. 

Oct. 28. Convoy No. 31, Sanitary Train 54, from Vaubecourt, 150 
patients—American. 

Oct. 31. All activities at Medical Detachment Red Cross Hut as¬ 
sumed by American Red Cross, relieving Y. M. C. A. from 
further duty at this hospital. 

Nov. 1. Caserne Carayon-Latour (Pessac) taken over from French 
for equipment and administration by U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6; 
designated U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 220. 

Nov. 1. Convoy No. 32, Sanitary Train 63, from Souilly and Fleury, 
438 patients—American. 

Nov. 3. Convoy No. 33, Sanitary Train 64, from Souilly, 489 patients 
—American. 

Nov. 8. Convoy No. 34, Sanitary Train 53, from Souilly, 614 patients 
—American. 


Official Chronology 


191 

1918: 

Nov. 12. Convoy No. 35, Sanitary Train 60, from Souilly, 522 
patients—American. 

Dec. 3. Orders received from Chief Surgeon, A. E. F., to cancel 
lease Base Hospital No. 220 (Caserne Carayon-Latour). 

Dec. 5. Establishment Convalescent Camp for this Station. 

Dec. 14. Convoy No. 36, Sanitary Train 52, from Base Hospital 
No. 15, Chaumont, 455 patients. 

Dec. 22. Convoy No. 37, Sanitary Train 64, from Base Hospital 
No. 17, Dijon, 241 patients. 

Dec. 28. Convoy No. 38, Sanitary Train 60, from Base Hospitals 
Nos. 23, 36, 31 and 32 at Vittel and Contexeville, 253 patients. 

Dec. 31. Establishment of Statistical Research Dept, with day and 
night shifts, in Record Office. 

igig: 

Jan. 1. Convoy No. 39, Sanitary Train 53, from Base Hospital No. 7, 
394 patients—American. 

Jan. 2. U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 208, Maj. Gustavus M. Blech, 
M. C. U. S. A., commanding, consisting of 16 officers, 6 nurses, 
64 Medical Detachment soldiers, and 6 civilians, reported as a 
Replacement Unit for U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6. 

Jan. 6. Convoy No. 40, Sanitary Train 64, from Vichy Hospital 
Center, 485 patients—American. 

Jan. 7. Unit Q, consisting of 11 officers, 28 nurses, and 47 Medi¬ 
cal Detachment soldiers, reported for duty with U. S. A. Base 
Hospital No. 208. 

Jan. 8. Convoy No. 41, from Camp Hospital No. 39 and Base 
Hospitals Nos. 19, 1, and 115, 60 patients—American. 

Jan. 14. U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6 closed all hospital records 
and functioning as a hospital at midnight of January 14, 1919, 
per telegram No. 1185 January 10, 1919, Chief Surgeon, A. E. F. 
All hospital buildings and equipment taken over by U. S. A. Base 
Hospital No. 208 and name of hospital changed to “U. S. A. 
Base Hospital No. 208.” U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6 records 
continued as Unit awaiting transportation to the United States, 
and personnel placed on temporary duty with U. S. A. Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 208. 

Jan. 15. Capt. William M. Hunter, M. C., Registrar of U. S. A. 
Base Hospital No. 6, to Headquarters S. O. S. A. E. F. to carry 
out provisions of Circular Letter 32-A, O. C. S. January 3, 1919* 
to deliver Hospital Records concerning sick and wounded. 


192 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1919: 

Jan. 18. Col. W. L. Babcock, M. C., Commanding Officer U. S. A. 
Base Hospital No. 6, relieved from command for transfer to United 
States. Lieut.-Col. Lincoln Davis, M. C., appointed Acting Com¬ 
manding Officer U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6. 

Feb. 4. Orders received for U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6 to prepare 
for embarkation. 

Feb. 10. Embarkation Orders received placing U. S. A. Base Hos¬ 
pital No. 6 on priority list at Bordeaux. 

Feb. 14. 24 officers, 69 nurses, and 3 civilian secretaries embarked 
from Bordeaux on S. S. Abangarez. 

March 5. Organization consisting of 5 officers and 158 enlisted men 
transferred to Beau Desert Hospital Center, France, to await trans¬ 
portation to United States. 

March 11. Organization embarked on U. S. A. Antigone for return 
to United States. 

March 24. Organization landed in Hoboken, N. J., and proceeded 
to Camp Merritt, N. J. 

April 1 to 5. Organization at Camp Merritt, N. J. 

April 5. Organization transferred to Camp Devens, Mass., arriving 
morning of sixth. 

April 9. U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6. demobilized. 

II. CONSTRUCTION 

Company C, 18th Engineers, R’y, assigned for duty at the Hospital 

in the fall of 1917, were of great assistance in getting repairs and new 

construction work started. 

Main construction work started September 8, 1917. 

Telephone installation begun September 13, and completed October 
5 > 1917. 

New kitchen and dining rooms begun October 1, 1917, and completed 
in March, 1918. 

Warehouse begun in November, 1917, and finished in February, 1918. 

Central heating plant begun in November, 1917, and finished in 
May, 1918. 

Septic tank and sewer begun in November, 1917, and finished in 
February, 1918. 

Nurses’ barracks (Group 8) started in November, 1917, and finished 
May, 1918. 

Twelve additional wooden wards (Group 3) started in January, 1918, 
and completed in June, 1918. 


Official Chronology 


i 93 

Six isolation wards (Group 7) begun in January, 1918, and completed, 
two each in August, September, and October, 1918. 

Enlisted men’s barracks begun in April, 1918, and completed in June, 
1918. 

Group 4 wards started April 30, 1918, and completed in June, 1918. 

Group 5 wards started December, 1917, and completed in June, 1918. 

Red Cross Hut for Medical Detachment started October, 1917, and 
completed Christmas, 1917. 

Ice plant started February, 1918, and completed on July 31, 1918. 

Adrian Barracks for Medical Detachment begun May 20, 1918, com¬ 
pleted June 30, 1918. 

Work begun on Group 5 by American Engineers to add two service 
rooms to each barracks, in order to utilize them for bed patients, 
July 1, and completed July 31, 1918. 

Work on Base Laboratory completed July, 1918. 

Board walks connecting all barracks of Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 finished. 

Work on roads within grounds completed during July, 1918. 

Construction to turn Group 6 into bed wards completed in August, 
1918. 

Various repairs and adjustments made on finished construction from 
September 1, 1918, to January 14, 1919. 

III. PERSONNEL 

The original unit consisted of 28 Officers, 1 Red Cross Chaplain, 

64 Nurses, 6 Secretaries, 1 Dietitian, and 153 men of the Medical 

Detachment. 

1917: 

May 24. 1st Lieut. Paul D. White, M. R. C., was ordered to active 
service to enlist personnel. 

May 28. 1st Lieut. Eugene Villaret, C. A. C., appointed Company 
Commander by War Dept. 

May 29. Maj. Frederic A. Washburn, M. R. C., appointed Com¬ 
manding Officer by War Dept. 

May 31. Capt. Henry C. Marble, M. R. C., appointed Acting 
Adjutant and Registrar by Commanding Officer. 

June 4. Capt. E. H. Bogan, Q. M. U. S. R., assumed duties of 
Quartermaster by order of War Dept. 

June 8. 1st Lieut. James H. Means, M. R. C., appointed Surgeon 
to Medical Detachment at Fort Strong by Commanding Officer. 


194 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1917: 

July 2. Capt. Larry B. McAfee, M. C., reported for duty at Fort 
Strong as Adjutant, under appointment by War Dept. 

July 5. The following appointments were made by Commanding 
Officer: Maj. Lincoln Davis, M. R. C., Summary Court Officer; 
Capt. Robert W. Holmes, M. R. C., Company Commander, re¬ 
lieving Lieut. Villaret; 1st Lieut. George Clymer, M. R. C., Mess 
Officer. 

July 23. Capt. William J. Mixter, M. R. C., left on detached service 
at Liverpool with eight men of Medical Detachment to look out 
for freight. Rejoined Unit at Talence August 4. 

July 28. Miss Sara E. Parsons, R. N. A. N. C., appointed Acting 
Chief Nurse by Commanding Officer. 

Aug. 10. The following executive council was appointed by the 
Commanding Officer: Maj. Frederic A. Washburn, M. R. C., Maj. 
Richard C. Cabot, M. R. C., Maj. Lincoln Davis, M. R. C., 
Capt. Larrv B. McAfee, M. C., 1st Lieut. James H. Means, 
M. R. C. 

Aug. 16. Capt. Larry B. McAfee, M. C., to Paris on temporary duty. 
Commissioned Major, M. C. Returned to duty August 19. 

Aug. 23. Maj. Lincoln Davis, M. R. C., Capt. Zabdiel B. Adams, 
M. R. C., and Capt. Beth Vincent, M. R. C., ordered to tem¬ 
porary duty at Ris-Orangis. Returned to duty September 9. 

Aug. 27. 1st Lieut. Ralph A. Hatch, M. R. C., appointed Post 
Exchange Officer by Commanding Officer. No post exchange or¬ 
ganized because of G. O. putting all post exchanges in hands of 
Y. M. C. A. 

Aug. 30. Maj. Larry B. McAfee, M. C., transferred to duty at 
office of Base Section No. 2, Bordeaux. 

Aug. 30. 1st Lieut. James H. Means, M. R. C., appointed Adjutant, 
relieving Major McAfee. 

Sept. 2. 1st Lieut. Forrest M. Evans, M. R. C., reported for duty. 
Transferred October 23 fof duty as assistant to Base Surgeon, Base 
Sec. No. 2. 

Sept. 3. 1st Lieut. Charles W. Strowger, M. R. C., reported for 
duty. Transferred to Le Courneau, November 20. 1st Lieut. 
Glenford L. Beilis, M. R. C., reported for duty. Transferred 
September 21 to duty with American Red Cross. 

Sept. 5. First Medical Disability Board appointed: Maj. Richard C. 
Cabot, M. R. C., 1st Lieut. Paul D. White, M. R. C., 1st Lieut. 
Glenford L. Beilis, M. R. C. 

Sept. 8. 1st Lieut. Paul D. White, M. R. C., appointed as surgeon 
to Unit and in charge of Pharmacy and Medical Supplies. 


Official Chronology 


i 95 


1917: 

Sept. 14. Maj. Richard C. Cabot, M. R. C., and 1st Lieut. De Witt 
S. Clark, M. R. C., on temporary duty at British Front. Returned 
to duty October 1. 

Sept. 14. Capt. William L. Moss, M. R. C., sent to Limoges on 
temporary duty to organize hospital there. Returned to duty 
October 7. 

Sept 26. Capt. Adelbert S. Merrill, M. R. C., Capt. Beth Vincent, 
M. R. C., and 1st Lieut. Joseph C. Aub, M. R. C., on temporary 
duty at Soissons. Returned to duty November 5. 

Sept. 28. 1st Lieut. Frederick C. Irving, M. R. C., and 1st Lieut. 
Wade S. Wright, M. R. C., on temporary duty 3d Army, B. E. F., 
returned to duty October 18. 

Sept. 29. Capt. Richard F. O’Neil, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 
Office, Chief Surgeon. Returned to duty October 14. 

Sept. 30. 1st Lieut. James H. Means, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
at Paris. Returned to duty October 7. 

Oct. 4. 48 enlisted personnel of Medical Department reported for 
duty. 

Oct. 11. Capt. Everard L. Oliver, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
3d Army, B. E. F. Returned to duty November 8. 

Oct. 13. 1st Lieut. De Witt S. Clark, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
at St. Nazaire. Returned to duty October 28. 

Oct. 13. 1st Lieut. George A. Leland, Jr., M. R. C., on temporary 
duty 3d Army, B. E. F. Returned to duty November 8. 

Oct. 19. 1 st Lieut. Robert L. Gardner, M. R. C., reported for duty. 
Transferred to Hdq. Base Sec. No. 2, January 24, 1918. 

Oct. 20. Maj. George de Tarnowsky, M. R. C., reported for duty. 
On temporary duty with A. R. C., October 24. 

Oct. 23. Capt. Robert W. Holmes, M. R. C., on temporary duty to 
open Infirmaries at Rest Camp No. 2, Base Sec. No. 2. 

Oct. 23. 1st Lieut. Frederick C. Irving, M. R. C., appointed Com¬ 
pany Commander, relieving Captain Holmes. 

Oct. 25. Maj. Richard C. Cabot, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 
Paris with American Red Cross. Returned to duty February 28, 
1918. 

Oct. 26. 64 enlisted personnel of Medical Department reported for 
duty. 

Oct. 28. 1st Lieut. Carl A. Binger, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
3d Army, B. E. F. Returned to duty November 22. 

Oct. 28. Capt. Richard F. O’Neil, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
3d Army, B. E. F. Returned to duty November 22. 


196 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1917: 

Oct. 29. 1st Lieut. W. R. Rothe, M. R. C., reported for duty. 
Transferred to Le Courneau January 3, 1918. 

Oct. 29. Capt. Pierre C. Pilon, M. R. C., reported for duty. On 
temporary duty with Co. C, 18th Engineers, R’y, at Pauillac, 
December 13. Transferred to duty at Camp Souge April 26, 1918. 

Nov. 3. Capt. Richard F. O’Neil, M. R. C., appointed Urologist for 

Base Sec. No. 2, per Par. 12 S. O. 146 H. A. E. F. Nov. 3. 

Nov. 5. Capt. William H. Mook, M. R. C., reported for duty. 

Nov. 6. Capt. Henry C. Marble, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 

Ris-Orangis. Returned to duty November 14. 

Nov. 6. 1st Lieut. Paul D. White, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 
Ris-Orangis. Returned to duty November 15. 

Nov. 6. 1st Lieut. Ralph A. Hatch, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
at Ris-Orangis. Returned to duty November 14. 

Nov. 6. 1st Lieut. L. E. Lesser arrived from ship that had been tor¬ 
pedoed. Left November 18. 

Nov. 9. Master Hospital Sergeant Revello M. Walker, M.D., com¬ 
missioned 1st Lieutenant, S. C. N. A. 

Nov. 10. 1st Lieut. Revello M. Walker, S. C. N. A., appointed Mess 
Officer, relieving Lieutenant Clymer. 

Nov. 11. 1st Lieut. George Clymer, M. R. C., appointed War In¬ 
surance Officer. 

Nov. 13. 1st Lieut. James H. Means, M. R. C., commissioned Cap¬ 
tain, M. R. C. 

Nov. 27. 1st Lieut. Wade S. Wright, M. R. C., to temporary duty 
with American Red Cross. Returned June 28, 1918. 

Nov. 30. 1st Lieut. George Clymer, M. R. C., to temporary duty 
with 3d Army, B. E. F. Returned to duty December 23. 1st Lieut. 
Harold G. Tobey, M. R. C., to temporary duty with 3d Army, 
B. E. F. Returned to duty December 23. 

Dec. 3. Sgt. Ralph P. Heard, M. E. R. C., commissioned 1st Lieu¬ 
tenant, S. C. N. A. Appointed Assistant to Quartermaster in 
charge of Construction December 6. 

Dec. 9 * Capt. William H. Mook, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
1st Army, B. E. F. Returned to duty March 11, 1918. 

Dec. 10. Capt. William L. Moss, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
Hdq. L. O. C. Returned to duty December 16. 

Dec. 16. Capt. Everard L. Oliver, M. R. C., temporary duty Hdq. 
L. O. C. Returned to duty February 6, 1918. 


Official Chronology 


197 


1917: 

Dec. 17. Sgt. 1st cl. Harry Conners, M. E. R. C., commissioned 
1st Lieutenant, S. C. N. A. Transferred to Hdq. Base Section 
No. 2, January 7, 1918. 

Dec. 21. Capt. James H. Means, M. R. C., on temporary duty Hdq. 
Base Sec. No. 2. Returned to duty January 8, 1918. 

Dec. 26. Capt. William J. Mixter, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 
Ris-Orangis. Returned to duty January 5, 1918. 1st Lieut. DeWitt 
S. Clark, M. R. C., on temporary duty at Ris-Orangis. Returned 
to duty January 11, 1918. 1st Lieut. William H. Sherburne, 
D. R. C., on temporary duty at Ris-Orangis. Returned to duty 
January 11, 1918. 

Dec. 31. Chateau Crespy occupied by officers for quarters and mess. 

1918: 

Jan. 1. 1st Lieut. Ralph A. Hatch, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
3d Army, B. E. F. Returned to duty January 20. 

Jan. 1. Capt. Zabdiel B. Adams, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
3d Army, B. E. F. Returned to duty January 20. 

Jan. 3. 1st Lieut. John S. Hodgson, M. R. C., reported for duty. 

Jan. 16. 1st Lieut. Frederick C. Irving, M. R. C., appointed War 
Risk Insurance Officer, relieving 1st Lieut. George Clymer, M. R. C. 

Jan. 17. 1st Lieut. Frederick C. Irving, M. R. C., commissioned Cap¬ 
tain, M. R. C. 

Jan. 22. Capt. Zabdiel B. Adams, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 
Neufchateau, Special Training Battalion, 26th Division. 

Feb. 5. Maj. Frederic A. Washburn, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
at Base Hospital No. 18. Returned to duty February 19. 

Feb. 6. Miss Mary Lee, Secretary, resigned to take position with 
Air Service, as Secretary. 

Feb. 6. 1 st Lieut. Revello M. Walker, S. C. N. A., transferred to 
duty at office of Surgeon, Base Section No. 2. 1st Lieut. George 
Clymer appointed Mess Officer, relieving Lieutenant Walker. 

Feb. 9. Sgt. 1 st cl. Francis H. Cloudman, M. E. R. C., commissioned 
1st Lieutenant S. C. N. A. Appointed Medical Supply Officer, 
relieving Lieutenant White. 

March 1. 1st Lieut. Harry Gauss, M. R. C., reported for duty. 
Assigned as Serologist. 

March 3. Maj. Lincoln Davis, M. R. C., and Capt. Frederick C. 
Irving, M. R. C., temporary duty with Surgical Team at Hdq. 
42d Div., Luneville. 1st Lieut. G. A. Leland, Jr., M. R. C., 
appointed Company Commander, relieving Captain Irving. 


198 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918: 

March 4. Capt. William J. Mixter, M. R. C., appointed Registrar, 
relieving Captain Marble. Capt. William L. Moss, M. R. C., 
appointed Summary Court Officer during absence of Major Davis. 

March io. Capt. Roger Kinnicutt, M. R. C., appointed Director of 
Rase Laboratory, Base Sec. No. 2, per V. O. Chief Surgeon Base 
Sec. No. 2. 

March io. 21 nurses of Unit O reported for duty. 

March 15. 11 officers and 46 men, Unit O, reported for duty. 

March 18. 1st Lieut. Albert W. Ghoreyeb, M. R. C., reported for 
duty. 

March 20. 1st Lieut. Robert G. Allison, M. R. C., reported for 
duty. Transferred to duty at American Red Cross Military Hos¬ 
pital No. 2, April 2. 

March 22. Sgt. Douglas Basnett, M. E. R. C., commissioned 
1st Lieutenant, S. C. N. A. Appointed Mess Officer, relieving 
Lieutenant Clymer. 

March 27. 1st Lieut. William H. Sherburne, D. R. C., on tem¬ 
porary duty at Army Sanitary School. Returned to duty April 16. 

April 1. Capt. Everard L. Oliver, M. R. C., appointed Garden 
Officer. 

April 4. Capt. Marion H. Wyman, M. R. C., and Lieut. Charles L. 
Allen, M. R. C., on temporary duty, Rest Camp No. 4. Returned 
to duty April 20. 

April 4. 1st Lieut. James M. Davis, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
at Camp Souge. Returned to duty June 6. 

April 4. Capt. James P. Matheson, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 
Camp Souge. 

April 4. 1st Lieut. Archie A. Barron, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
at Camp Souge. 

April 4. Capt. Henry C. Marble, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 
Dax. Returned to duty June 3. 

April 7. Capt. Bert Herbst, Q. M. R. C., attached as Quartermaster 
under order to relieve Capt. E. H. Bogan, Q. M. R. C. Captain 
Bogan relieved April 22. 

April 9. Capt. Beth Vincent, M. R. C., and 1st Lieut. DeWitt S. 
Clark, M. R. C., on temporary duty with Surgical Team at Creil, 
Oise. 

April 12. 1st Lieut. George A. Leland, Jr., M. R. C., appointed 
Debarkation Officer. 

April 15. Miss Laura M. Beecher, R. N. A. N. C., resigned and 
returned to U. S. 


Official Chronology 


199 


1918 : 

April 17. Disability Board: Appointed per S. O. 105 Par. 13 Base 
Sec. No. 2; Capt. William L. Moss, M. R. C., Capt. Richard F. 
O’Neil, M. R. C., and 1st Lieut. John S. Hodgson, M. R. C. 

April 18. Capt. William Allan, M. R. C., appointed Sanitary Officer. 

April 20. Capt. Robert H. Crawford, M. R. C., on temporary duty 

at Amiens. Returned to duty May 29. 

April 20. Capt. Harry P. Letton, E. U. S. R., reported for duty in 
connection with Water Supply Laboratory Service. 

April 21. Capt. William H. Mook, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
at American Red Cross Convalescent Hospital at Biarritz. Re¬ 
turned to duty May 17. 

April 24. Maj. Warren L. Babcock, M. R. C., reported to assume 

command of hospital, relieving Major Washburn, M. R. C., or¬ 

dered to duty at American Rest Camp, Winchester, England. 

April 29. 1st Lieut. Charles O. Hurley, M. R. C., reported for 

temporary duty. Transferred to temporary duty, Rest Camp 
No. 4, May 17. 

May 4. 1st Lieut. Joseph C. Aub, M. R. C., appointed Officer of the 
Guard. 

May 6. Reserve Nurse Lucy N. Fletcher, A. N. C., member of Base 
Hospital No. 6 Unit, died at 11.30 a.m. of chronic cerebro spinal 
meningitis. 

May 10. Capt. Robert F. Leinbach, M. R. C., remaining officer of 
Unit O, reported for duty. 

May 11. 1st Lieut. Bertram H. Sawyer, D. R. C., reported for 

temporary duty. 

May 13. Capt. James H. Means, M. R. C., and Capt. William J. 
Mixter, M. R. C., transferred to American Rest Camp, Winches¬ 
ter, England. 

May 14. 1st Lieut. George A. Leland, Jr., M. R. C., appointed 

Adjutant, relieving Captain Means. 

May 14. Capt. William M. Hunter, M. R. C., appointed Registrar, 
relieving Captain Mixter. 

May 14. 1 st Lieut. George Clymer, M. R. C., appointed Company 
Commander, relieving Lieutenant Leland. 

May 14. 1st Lieut. John S. Hodgson, M. R. C., appointed Debarka¬ 
tion Officer, relieving Lieutenant Leland. 

May 14. 1st Lieut. Paul D. White, M. R. C., appointed Admitting 
Officer. 

May 16. 1st Lieut. Paul D. White, M. R. C., appointed to take 

charge of Convalescent Officers’ Pavilion (Chateau de Beycheville). 


200 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918 : 

May 18. Capt. Alan M. Chesney, M. R. C., reported for temporary 
duty. Relieved June io. 

May 22. 1st Lieut. Harold G. Tobey, M. R. C., appointed Sub¬ 
scription Officer, “Stars and Stripes.” 

May 22. 1st Lieut. Albert W. Ghoreyeb, M. R. C., appointed Fire 
Marshal. 

May 28. Capt. William H. Mook, M. R. C., appointed Admitting 
Officer, relieving Lieutenant White. 

June 6. Maj. Warren L. Babcock, M. R. C., commissioned Lieutenant 
Colonel. 

June 6. 1st Lieut. Paul D. White, M. R. C., appointed Historian. 

June 6. Capt. Hamilton W. McKay, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
at Camp Souge. 

June 8. Capt. Marion H. Wyman, M. R. C., appointed Base Urolo¬ 
gist, Base Sec. No. 2, relieving Captain O’Neil. Captain O’Neil 
appointed Consulting Urologist, Base Sec. No. 2. Par. 78-79, 
S. O. 88 H. S. O. S. 

June 13. 1st Lieut. Ralph Dourmashkin, M. R. C., reported for 
temporary duty. Relieved June 20. 

June 13. 1st Lieut. Ralph A. Hatch, M. R. C., appointed Medical 
Librarian. 

June 17. 1st Lieut. William H. Gullifer, D. R. C., on temporary 
duty at Army Sanitary School. 

June 17. 15 nurses of Base Hospital No. 13 (Chicago Presbyterian 
Hospital) reported for temporary duty. 

June 19. Capt. William H. Mook, M. R. C., on temporary duty 
with Col. E. G. Bingham at Paris. 

June 19. 1 st Lieut. Harold G. Tobey appointed Admitting Officer 
in absence of Captain Mook. 

June 22. 1st Lieut. Carl A. L. Binger, M. R. C., appointed in charge 
of Convalescent Officers’ Pavilion (Chateau de Beycheville), re¬ 
lieving Lieutenant White. 

June 22. 100 nurses, 4 secretaries, 1 laboratory assistant, and 1 dieti¬ 
tian from Base Hospital No. 22 reported for temporary duty. 
70 nurses sent to temporary duty at Base Hospital No. 3, June 27. 

June 22. 88 nurses, 24 aides, and 1 dietitian from Base Hospital 
No. 114 reported for temporary duty. 20 nurses sent to tem¬ 
porary duty at Camp Souge June 26. 

June 22. 1st Lieut. Francis H. Cloudman, S. C. N. A., transferred 
to Central Medical Supply Depot at Cosne. 



U. S. Official 

Surgical and Orthopedic Wards 



Copyright by Committee on Public Information 

One of the Pavilion Wards Built by the French 
















U. S. Army Hospital Train 
Three of our nurses are on the train doing duty 



Convalescent Soldiers Working on Farm at Base Hospital No. 6 , 

July, 1918 












Official Chronology 


201 


1918 : 

June 24. Capt. Robert H. Stanley, M. R. C., Lieut. Maxwell L. 
Volk, M. R. C., and Lieut. Perry C. Robertson, M. R. C., and 
49 enlisted men, M. D. N. A., reported for duty. 

June 27. The following officers reported for duty: Maj. Homer Scott, 
M. C. N. G., Capt. William W. McMillan, M. R. C., Capt. John 
W. Bowers, M. R. C., 1st Lieut. Henry M. Burnham, M. R. C. 

June 28. Capt. William L. Moss, M. R. C., relieved from duty, Base 
Hospital No. 6, and appointed in charge of Base Laboratory, Base 
Sec. No. 2, relieving Captain Kinnicutt. Maj. Homer Scott, 
M. C. N. G., appointed Summary Court Officer, relieving Cap¬ 
tain Moss. Maj. Richard C. Cabot, M. R. C., appointed senior 
member of Disability Board by C. G. Base Sec. No. 2, relieving 
Captain Moss. 

June 29. 1st Lieut. Paul H. Lippold, M. R. C., reported for duty. 

June 30. Capt. Robert H. Stanley, M. R. C., appointed Resident 
Ward Surgeon, Convalescent Officers’ Pavilion (Chateau de Bey- 
cheville), relieving Lieutenant Binger. 

In addition to the above personnel changes, various groups of the 

nursing personnel have been on temporary duty at Ris-Orangis, the 

American Red Cross Surgical Dressings Bureau at Paris, Evacuation 

Hospital No. 1, and with the Surgical Teams. 

Officers from this Unit have attended each of the monthly meet¬ 
ings at Paris of the Research Society of the American Red Cross. 

July 1. Maj. Lincoln Davis, M. R. C., from temporary duty at 
G. H. Q. A. E. F., to temporary duty U. S. A. Base Hospital 
No. 6; July 5—on temporary duty at Evacuation Hospital No. 2. 

July 2. 1st Lieut. Bertram H. Sawyer, D. R. C., transferred from 
temporary duty at Sursol Docks. 

July 2. Capt. William H. Mook, M. R. C., transferred from tem¬ 
porary duty at Paris to duty at Skin Hospital, Paris. 

July 4. 3 enlisted men, Medical Detachment, reported for duty at 
Base Laboratory at this Station. 

July 6. Sgt. 1st cl. Gustave W. Everberg, M. D. N. A., commis¬ 
sioned 2d Lieut. Q. M. U. S. R. Assigned to duty at U. S. A. 
Base Hospital No. 6. 

July 6. Capt. John G. Boyd, S. C. N. A., reported for duty at Base 
Laboratory, this Station. 

July 7. 30 casual officers, M. R. C., Capt. Frank E. Darling in 
charge, reported for temporary duty and instruction at Casual 
Officers’ School. Captain Darling appointed Company Commander 
of Casual Officers. 


202 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918 : 

July 7. Capt. R. F. Leinbach, M. R. C., on temporary duty at 
Central Medical Dept. Laboratory. Returned to duty July 16. 

July 7. Maj. George de Tarnowsky, M. R. C., transferred from tem¬ 
porary duty with American Red Cross Hospital No. 5. 

July 7. Maj. Alfred E. Cohn, M. R. C., reported for temporary 
(inspection) duty. Returned July 8. 

July 8. 20 casual Reserve Nurses, A. N. C., reported for duty. 

July 10. 1 st Lieut. Leroy A. Hammer, M. R. C., reported for duty. 

July 10. 1st Lieut. W. H. Gullifer, D. R. C., returned to duty from 
Army Sanitary School. 

July 10. Sgt. Charles B. Leipold, M. T. S. D., detailed to special 
duty as Dispatcher at this Post, per order Hdq. Base Sec. No. 2. 

July 11. 50 enlisted men, Medical Department, reported for temporary 
duty. 

July 12. Miss Eunice H. Pattee and Miss Lilian B. Towner, secre¬ 
taries, transferred to duty at Office of Chief Surgeon, G. H. Q., 
A. E. F, S. O. S. 

July 17. Capt. William C. McMillian, M. R. C., appointed Sani¬ 
tary Officer, relieving Captain Allan. 

July 21. 1st Lieut. Paul H. Lippold, M. R. C., relieved from duty 
to duty 331st Field Hospital. 

July 22. 2d Lieut. Gustave W. Everberg, Q. M. U. S. R., appointed 
Quartermaster, relieving Capt. Bert Herbst, Q. M. U. S. R., for 
duty as Group Quartermaster. 

July 22. 1st Lieut. Horace F. Tangeman, M. R. C., on temporary 
duty at this Station, assigned to duty at this Station. 

July 23. Capt. Roger Kinnicutt, M. R. C., relieved from duty at 
this Station and assigned to duty at Base Laboratory, this Station. 

July 23. 6 Reserve Nurses, A. N. C., transferred from duty to duty 
at Camp Hospital No. 5. 

July 24. 1st Lieut. Raymond F. W. Campbell, M. R. C., reported 
for duty. 

July 25. Capt. William L. Moss, M. R. C., ordered to duty at Chief 
Surgeon’s Office, Base Sec. No. 2, as Director of Base Laboratory. 

July 25. Capt. F. E. Darling, M. R. C., assigned from temporary 
duty to duty at this Station. 

July 26. 12 enlisted men, M. D. 136 F. H., reported for temporary 
duty. 2 enlisted men, M. D. N. A., returned to duty from tem¬ 
porary duty U. S. transport. 

July 27. R. N. Katherine Osborne, A. N. C., relieved from duty to 
report to Base Sec. No. 5 for transportation to U. S. and discharge. 


Official Chronology 


203 


1918 : 

July 28. 11 enlisted men, M. D. 112 A. T., reported for temporary 
duty. 

July 30. Capt. John W. Bowers, M. R. C., and 1st Lieut. Henry 
M. Burnham, M. R. C., relieved for duty to duty at German 
Prison Camp, St. Pierre de Corps. 

July 30. 1st Lieut. Grady M. Allison, M. R. C., relieved from duty 
to duty at Saumur. 

July 31. 1st Lieut. Perry C. Robertson, M. R. C., appointed Assistant 
Adjutant, relieving Lieutenant Basnett. 

Of the Reserve Nurses, A. N. C., and civilian employees from Base 
Hospitals No. 144 and No. 22 on temporary duty, 16 and 36 respec¬ 
tively were transferred in small groups during the month. 

In addition to the 30 casual officers reporting July 7, 8 casual 
officers reported for temporary duty and instruction. 21 casual officers 
were transferred to other Stations. 

Aug. 1. 1 st Lieut. George Clymer, M. C., on temporary duty at 
Nubecourt. 

Aug. 2. 1st Lieut. R. M. Walker, S. C., reported for temporary 
duty from duty at office of Chief Surgeon, Base Sec. No. 2. As¬ 
signed as assistant to Registrar. 

Aug. 3. Capt. Henry W. S. Hayes, M. C., and 1st Lieut. James W. 
Reese, M. C., from temporary duty at this Station to duty at this 
Station. 

Aug. 5. 6 Reserve Nurses, A. N. C., transferred from duty at this 
Station to duty on U. S. Hospital Trains Nos. 55 and 57. Capt. 
Zabdiel B. Adams, M. C., transferred from temporary duty at 
Base Hospital No. 114 to duty at that Station. Also assigned 
Consulting Orthopedic Surgeon to Base Section No. 2. 

Aug. 6. Capt. Frank E. Darling, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Charles I. 
Allen, M. C., on temporary duty Base Hospital No. 3. Returned 
to duty August 16, 1918. 

Aug. 7. Capt. Roger Kinnicutt, M. C., on temporary duty Central 
Med. Dept. Laboratory, at Dijon. Returned to duty August 12. 
Aug. 8. Lieut. Wade S. Wright, M. C., relieved from duty with 
Medical Section and assigned to duty in reemployment of patients. 
Aug. 11. Maj. Archibald L. Miller, D. C., reported for duty. 

Aug. 13. 60 enlisted men, Medical Detachment, reported for duty. 
2 enlisted men, Medical Detachment, from duty at this Station to 
duty Intelligence Dept., Base Section No. 2. 1st Lieut. Arthur 
M. Bacon, M. C., reported for duty in Base Laboratory. 


204 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918 : 

Aug. 17. Capt. Henry W. S. Hayes, M. C., 1st Lieut. Carl A. L. 
Binger, M. C., and 5 M. D. men on temporary duty Mimizan-le- 
Plage. Returned to duty August 31. 

Aug. 21. Maj. R. C. Cabot, M. C., on temporary duty Casual Depot, 
Blois. Returned to duty August 24. 

Aug. 27. Gas and Shock Team No. 104 proceeded to Evacuation 
Hospital No. 1 for temporary duty. 

Aug. 30. 1st Lieut. L. V. Farnum, Inf., reported for duty. Assigned 
as Assistant Officer of Guard and C. O. of Band. 2 M. D. men 
transferred from duty to Saumur Artillery School. 

In addition, during month of August, 1918: 

25 casual medical officers reported for temporary duty and in¬ 
struction; 29 medical officers were transferred to other Stations. 

4 Reserve Nurses, A. N. C., reported for temporary duty; 41 
nurses and nurse aides on temporary duty were transferred to other 
Stations. 

38 Soldiers, M. D., reported for temporary duty; 75 on temporary 
duty were transferred to other Stations. 1 on temporary duty trans¬ 
ferred to duty. 1 patient transferred to M. D., this Station. 

Sept. 1. 1st Lieut. Carl A. L. Binger, M. C., temporary duty at 
Camp Souge. Returned to duty September 15. 

Sept. 4. Surgical Team 2-A, comprising Capt. Robert H. Crawford, 
M. C., 1st Lieut. Charles I. Allen, M. C., 1st Lieut. Maxwell L. 
Volk, M. C., R. N. Margaret E. White, A. N. C., Pvts. 1st cl. 
Joseph H. Clancy and Thomas L. Taliaferro, M. D., to temporary 
duty at Base Hospital No. 15. 

Sept. 4. Capt. Henry W. S. Hayes, M. C., to temporary duty Camp 
Hospital No. 4, Rest Camp No. 2. Transferred to duty Rest 
Camp No. 4, September 16. 

Sept. 6. Capt. Frank E. Darling, M. C., appointed Officer of Guard 
and Acting Company Commander, relieving Lieutenant Aub. 
Sept. 7. 1 st Lieut. Joseph C. Aub, M. C., relieved from duty to duty 
Central Med. Dept. Laboratory. 

Sept. 9. 1st Lieut. Andrew B. Jones, M. C., reported for duty Base 
Laboratory. 

Sept. 12. 1st Lieut. Raymond F. W. Campbell, M. C., relieved from 
duty to duty at Base Hospital No. 66. 

Sept. 13. 1st Lieut. William H. Sherburne, D. C., and Pvt. 1st cl. 
William H. Wiechert, M. D., relieved from duty to duty Hdq., 
32d Div. 


Official Chronology 


205 


1918 : 

Sept. 14. 1st Lieut. John S. Hodgson, M. C., appointed Reviewing 
Officer for Class A cases. 

Sept. 16. Capt. Fred W. Moeller, M. C., from temporary duty this 
Station to duty this Station. 

Sept. 19. 1st Lieut. Carl A. L. Binger, M. C., and Sgt. 1st cl. James 
A. Hawkins, M. D., to temporary duty Camp Hospital No. 29. 

Sept. 19. Capt. Harry P. Letton, E. C., to temporary duty at Paris. 
Returned to duty September 25. 

Sept. 20. 1st Lieut. Harry Gauss, M. C., to temporary duty Camp 
Hospital No. 20. 

Sept. 22. Detachment from Field Hospital 347, 312th Sanitary Train, 
consisting of Capt. Charles D. Mason, M. C., 1st Lieut. Harry R. 
Wheat, M. C., 1st Lieut. Willard S. Howard, M. C., and 77 
soldiers, reported for temporary duty. 

Sept. 24. 1st Lieut. Roy H. Pfeiffer, D. C., and one soldier M. D., re¬ 
ported for duty with detachment from Field Hospital 347, 312th 
Sanitary Train on temporary duty at this Station. 

Sept. 24. In accordance with par. 11 Cir. 49 O. C. S., A. E. F., 
following Reviewing Board appointed: Maj. Addison G. Brenizer, 
M. C., 1 st Lieut. John S. Hodgson, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Wade 
S. Wright, M. C. 

Sept. 25. Capt. Roger Kinnicutt, M. C., to temporary duty Camp 
Hospital No. 29. 

Sept. 26. Capt. Everard L. Oliver, M. C., appointed member of 
Disability Board, relieving Captain O’Neil. Auditing Committee 
for Hospital Fund, appointed per par. 12 Cir. 49 O. C. S., A. E. F.: 
1st Lieut. Wade S. Wright, M. C., Corp. Asa F. Clark, M. D., 
Pvt. Valentine F. Hahn, M. D. 

Sept. 29. Capt. C. N. O. Leir, M. C., reported for duty as Assistant 
Roentgenologist. Sgts. 1st cl. George R. Chick, Edward C. Roundy, 
and Charles S. Glasgow, M. D., appointed 1st Lieutenants, S. C., 
to rank from August 30, 1918. Assigned as Assistant Registrar, 
Assistant Company Commander, and Assistant Sanitary and Fatigue 
Duty Officer respectively. 

Sept. 30. 1 st Lieut. Harold G. Tobey, M. C., appointed Medical 
Detraining Officer. 1st Lieut. Edward C. Roundy, S. C., appointed 
Detraining Officer, relieving 1st Lieutenant Hodgson, Debarkation 
Officer. 1st Lieut. Carl A. L. Binger relieved as Assistant Com¬ 
pany Commander. 

In addition, during month of September, 1918: 

5 casual medical officers reported for temporary duty and instruc¬ 
tion; 8 medical officers were transferred to other Stations. 


20 6 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918: 

2 Reserve Nurses, A. N. C., reported for duty; 5 on temporary duty 
transferred to temporary duty at various camp hospitals; 27 on tem¬ 
porary duty from Base Hospital No. 114 and 1 Reconstruction Aide 
transferred to duty Base Hospital No. 114. 

Medical Detachment soldiers: 6 reported for temporary duty; 
1 patient assigned to keep duty at this Station; 2 reported for duty; 
43 on temporary duty transferred to duty at other Stations; 1 on duty 
transferred to U. S. as Class D; 1 soldier 63d Art. C. A. C. trans¬ 
ferred to M. D. and assigned to duty at this Station. 

Oct. 1. Capt. Fred W. Moeller, M. C., and Capt. Richard F. O’Neil, 
M. C., commissioned Majors, M. C. 

Oct. 4. Capt. Robert H. Stanley, M. C., to temporary duty at Paris. 
Returned to duty October 13. Capt. Roger Kinnicutt, M. C., and 
1st Lieut. Carl A. L. Binger, M. C., returned to duty from tem¬ 
porary duty at Le Courneau. 

Oct. 5. 1st Lieut. George Clymer, M. C., returned to duty from 
temporary duty at Base Hospital No. 117. Relieved as Company 
Commander by Acting Company Commander Capt. Frank E. 
Darling, M. C. Capt. E. L. Oliver, M. C., appointed Dermatolo¬ 
gist Base Section No. 2, per par. 237 So. 207 H. S. O. S. 

Oct. 9. Pvt. 1st cl. Allyn M. C. Berrie, M. D., of Base Hospital 
No. 6 Unit at this Station, died of broncho-pneumonia. 

Oct. 11. 1st Lieut. James L. Laughlin, S. C., reported for duty Base 
Laboratory. 

Oct. 13. Capt. Harry P. Letton, E. C., relieved from duty Base 
Laboratory and ordered to duty at Paris. 

Oct. 15. 1st Lieut. George Clymer, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Ralph A. 
Hatch, M. C., commissioned Captains, M. C. 1st Lieut. Frederick 
S. Hastings, S. C., reported for duty Base Laboratory. 

Oct. 17. Capt. Lawrence K. Lunt, M. C., patient in hospital, as¬ 
signed to duty at this Station. 

Oct. 21. 1st Lieut. George R. Chick, S. C., appointed Admitting and 
Discharging Officer. 

Oct. 22. Capt. Robert H. Stanley, M. C., to temporary duty at 
Coutras. 

Oct. 23. 1st Lieut. Frederick S. Hastings, S. C., to temporary duty 
at Perigueux. Returned to duty October 24. 

Oct. 24. Maj. R. F. O’Neil, M. C., and Capt. E. L. Oliver, M. C., 
to temporary duty at Limoges. Returned to duty October 28. 
1st Lieut. F. S. Hastings, S. C., to temporary duty at Dax. Re¬ 
turned to duty October 25. Capt. Ralph A. Hatch, M. C., to 
temporary duty at Nantes. 


Official Chronology 


207 


1918 : 

Oct. 27. 1st Lieut. Wade S. Wright, M. C., appointed Officer in 
charge of selection of B-2 patients for temporary duty at hospital 
personnel, in accordance with tel. C. S. O., October 25. 

Oct. 29. Capt. George Clymer, M. C., relieved from duty this Station 
and ordered to duty at Base Hospital No. 117. 1st Lieut. Elwin 
O. Brown, M. C., transferred from temporary duty this Station 
to duty this Station. Relieved from duty at this Station for duty 
with B. E. F. October 31. 

Oct. 30. 1 st Lieut. George A. Leland, Jr., M. C., commissioned 
Captain, M. C. Capt. George A. Leland, Jr., M. C., Adjutant, 
appointed Special Reviewing Officer for the purpose of reviewing 
enlisted men classified as Class B for hospital personnel, in ac¬ 
cordance with tel. O. B. S. October 25, and all officers classified 
as C as to availability for duty in Base Section No. 2. 

Oct. 31. Capt. Everard L. Oliver, M. C., and Capt. Adelbert S. 
Merrill, M. C., commissioned Majors, M. C. Capt. Roger Kin- 
nicutt, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Carl A. L. Binger, M. C., to tem¬ 
porary duty Central Med. Dept. Laboratory. 

In addition, during month of October, 1918: 

6 casual medical officers and 1 chaplain reported for temporary duty 
and instruction; 3 medical officers were transferred to other Stations. 

4 medical officers on duty at this Station attended October meeting 
of Research Society of American Red Cross. 

9 Reconstruction Aides and 5 Reserve Nurses, A. N. C., reported 
for duty. 

3 nurses returned from temporary duty at Evacuation Hospital 
No. 2 for duty. 

Medical Detachment soldiers: 1 reported for temporary duty; 1 
reported for duty Base Laboratory; 1 reported for duty as dental 
mechanic; 1 on temporary duty transferred to duty at another Station; 
2 on duty transferred to duty at other Stations. 

Nov. 2. Capt. James A. Belyea, M. C., reported for duty as Neuro¬ 
psychiatrist. Capt. R. A. Hatch, M. C., returned to duty from 
temporary duty at Nantes. 

Nov. 3. 1st Lieut. Paul D. White, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Harold G. 
Tobey, M. C., commissioned Captains, M. C. Lieut. Col. W. L. 
Babcock returned from temporary duty (October 31) at Perigueux. 
Nov. 4. Capt. Paul D. White, M. C., appointed Assistant Evacua¬ 
tion Officer. Capt. Roger Kinnicutt, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Carl 
A. L. Binger, M. C., returned to duty from temporary duty Cen¬ 
tral Medical Department Laboratory. 


208 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918 : 

Nov. 5. Sgt. Howard C. Maffitt, M. D., commissioned 2d Lieutenant, 
S. C. Assigned to duty Base Hospital No. 6 November 7. Maj. 
Alexander Quackenboss, M. C., reported for duty. 

Nov. 7. Capt. George A. Leland, Jr., M. C., relieved from duty this 
Station and appointed Commanding Officer Base Hospital No. 220, 
per par. 165 S. O. 240 H. S. O. S. 

Nov. 8. Capt. Robert H. Stanley, M. C., returned to duty from 
temporary duty at Coutras. 

Nov. 10. 1st Lieut. William P. Barron, M. C., reported for duty. 

Nov. 11. Chaplain Henry K. Sherrill, R. C., appointed 1st Lieuten¬ 
ant C. C., U. S. A. Assigned as U. S. A. Chaplain to this Station 
November 25. 

Nov. 14. Maj. Everard L. Oliver, M. C., on temporary duty at Dax. 
Returned to duty November 17. 1st Lieut. Franklin Benedict, 
M. C., reported for duty. 

Nov. 18. Capt. Bruce M. Mohler, S. C., reported for duty in Water 
Analysis Laboratory. Maj. Beth Vincent, M. C., 1st Lieut. 
DeWitt S. Clark, M. C., with nurses and enlisted personnel, Sur¬ 
gical Team No. 2, returned to duty. 

Nov. 19. Lieut. Col. W. L. Babcock, M. C., commissioned Colonel, 
M. C. Capt. Roger Kinnicutt, M. C., and Capt. Robert H. 
Stanley, M. C., commissioned Majors, M. C. 

Nov. 20. Capt. Robert F. Leinbach, M. C., and 1 nurse A. N. C. 
returned to duty from temporary duty Base Hospital No. 15. 

Nov. 21. Maj. Addison G. Brenizer, Jr., M. C., to Nice on leave. 
Capt. Paul D. White, M. C., to Vittel on leave. 2d Lieut. Gus¬ 
tave W. Everberg, Q. M. C., to Rouen on leave. Returned No¬ 
vember 26. Capt. Robert F. Leinbach, M. C., commissioned 
Major, M. C. Capt. William R. Thompson, M. C., reported for 
duty. 

Nov. 22. Capt. Cale C. Craig, Capt. Earl L. Hendricks, Capt. Arthur 
H. Terry, and Capt. Frank J. Walker, M. C., reported for duty. 
Capt. John H. Maloney, D. C., and Assistant Sgt. Freeman L. Stod¬ 
dard, M. D., reported for duty. 1st Lieut. Carl A. L. Binger, 
M. C., on temporary duty at Angouleme. 

Nov. 23. 2d Lieut. R. W. Daggett, Q. M. C., reported for duty 
as assistant to Quartermaster. 

Nov. 24. 1st Lieut. Wade S. Wright, M. C., commissioned Captain, 
M. C. 

Nov. 25. Capt. Frank E. Darling, M. C., commissioned Major, M. C. 
1st Lieut. Albert W. Ghoreyeb, M. C., commissioned Captain, 
M. C. 


Official Chronology 


209 


1918 : 

Nov. 26. Capt. John G. Boyd, S. C., to Nice on leave. 

Nov. 27. Capt. James A. Belyea, M. C., to Nice on leave. Capt. 
J. W. Powers, M. C., and 1st Lieut. William T. Barron, M. C., 
reported for duty. Maj. Richard C. Cabot, M. C., appointed 
Lieutenant Colonel, M. C. Claude M. Burns, M. D., commissioned 
2d Lieutenant, S. C. 1st Lieut. William T. Barron, M. C., and 
1st Lieut. Franklin D. Benedict, M. C., relieved from duty for 
transportation to U. S. 

Nov. 28. 1st Lieut. John E. Haigh, M. C., relieved from duty for 
transportation of wounded to U. S. Capt. Robert H. Crawford, 
1st Lieut. Charles I. Allen, M. C., 1st Lieut. Maxwell L. Volk, 
M. C., with nurse and enlisted personnel, Surgical Team 2-A, from 
temporary duty Base Hospital No. 15 to duty. 

Nov. 29. Capt. Paul D. White, M. C., appointed Medical Supply 
Officer. 

Nov. 30. 1st Lieut. Walter Martini, M. C., reported for one week’s 
instruction in Urology. 

In addition, during month of November, 1918: 

6 medical officers on duty at this Station attended November meet¬ 
ing of Research Society, American Red Cross, Paris. 

6 Casual Officers, including 1 chaplain, reported for temporary 
duty; 9 on temporary duty, including 1 chaplain, transferred to other 
Stations. 

1 Reserve Nurse, A. N. C., reported for duty; 2 transferred to 
U. S. as of Class D; 10 on sick and regular leave. 

1 Civilian Secretary reported for duty in Base Laboratory. 
Medical Detachment soldiers: 24 reported for duty; 1 transferred 
to duty at this Station; 1 reported for temporary duty Dental Labo¬ 
ratory; 1 patient assigned to temporary duty. 

Dec. 1. Detachment of Medical Department 347th Field Hospital 
transferred from temporary duty to duty this Station, including 
Capt. J. W. Powers, M. C., Capt. Charles D. Mason, M. C., 
1st Lieut. Willard S. Howard, M. C., 1st Lieut. Harry R. Wheat, 
M. C., and 1st Lieut. Roy H. Pfeiffer, D. C. (76 enlisted men). 

Dec. 1. 1st Lieut. Carl A. L. Binger, M. C., returned from tem¬ 
porary duty at Angouleme. 

Dec 2 Capt Frank Brunkhorst, M. C., reported for duty. Maj. 
Archibald L. Miller, D. C„ on sick leave at Nice. Returned 
December 19. Maj. Addison G. Brenizer, Jr., M. C„ returned 
from sick leave at Nice. 1st Lieut. H. G. Simpson, D. C., trans¬ 
ferred from temporary duty to U. S. 


210 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918 : 

Dec. 3. 2d Lieut. Emory L. Schutt, S. C., reported for duty Base 
Laboratory. 

Dec. 4. Maj. Robert W. Holmes, M. C., relieved from duty this 
Station. 

Dec. 6. 2d Lieut. Howard C. Maffitt, S. C., temporary duty to 
Le Courneau. Returned December 9. Maj. Ralph E. Balch, 
M. C., reported for duty. 1st Lieut. Frederick S. Hastings, M. C., 
on temporary duty Cahors and Limoges. Returned December 9. 
Chaplain Frederick S. Penfold, C. C., reported for duty. Trans¬ 
ferred to duty 121st F. A. December 7. 

Dec. 7. Capt. Albert W. Ghoreyeb, M. C., transferred from duty 
to Casual Officer Depot for assignment to duty as translator for 
the Peace Commission. Capt. Paul D. White, M. C., returned 
from sick leave at Vittel. 

Dec. 7. 1st Lieut Walter Martini returned to proper Station. Capt. 
George A. Leland, Jr., M. C., relieved from duty as Command¬ 
ing Officer Base Hospital No. 220 and assigned to duty at this 
Station, per par. 207 S. O. 270 H. S. O. S. 

Dec. 8. 1st Lieut. William H. Gullifer, D. C., on leave, St. Aignan. 
Returned December 21. 1st Lieut. Maxwell L. Volk, M. C., ap¬ 
pointed Special Admitting Officer. 

Dec. 9. Capt. Lawrence K. Lunt, M. C., on leave, London, England. 
Returned December 25. 

Dec. 10. 1st Lieut. Thomas M. Barber, M. C., reported for tem¬ 
porary duty from patient in hospital. 

Dec. 11. Capt. James F. Coupal, M. C., reported for temporary 
duty as pathologist Base Laboratory. 

Dec. 12. Capt. John G. Boyd, S. C., and Capt. James A. Belyea, 
M. C., returned from sick leave, Nice. 1st Lieut. Ralph P. Heard, 
S. C., appointed Fire Marshal vice 1st Lieut. Albert W. Ghoreyeb. 
1st Lieut. E. C. Roundy, S. C., appointed Assistant Fire Marshal 
vice 1st Lieutenant Heard. 

Dec. 13. Chaplain G. S. McGourty reported for duty. Lieut.-Col. 
R. C. Cabot on leave. Returned December 21. 

Dec. 15. 2d Lieut. M. D. Wilson, Q. M. C., reported for temporary 
duty. 1st Lieut. Arthur M. Bacon, M. C., and 2d Lieut. Emory 
L. Schutt, S. C., on temporary duty Embarkation Camp, Gironde. 

Dec. 16. Capt. George A. Leland, Jr., M. C., appointed Acting 
Commanding Officer during absence of Colonel Babcock, on leave. 
1st. Lieut. D. Basnett, S. C., appointed Acting Adjutant during 
absence of Colonel Babcock, on leave. 


Official Chronology 


21 i 


1918 : 

Dec. 17. Col. W. L. Babcock, M. C., Commanding Officer, on leave 
at Nice. Returned December 27. Capt. David A. Walker, M. C., 
and 1st Lieut. James W. Sillaman, M. C., reported for duty. 

Dec. 18. Maj. W. F. Verdi, M. C., reported for temporary duty. 

Dec. 19. Capt. John G. Boyd, S. C., on temporary duty Camp Hos¬ 
pital No. 66. 

Dec. 20. 1st Lieut. Roland A. Davison, E. C., reported for duty. 

Dec. 21. Maj. Ralph E. Hatch, M. C., on leave. 

1st Lieut. Samuel A. White, M. C., on temporary duty, Embarka¬ 
tion Camp, Gironde. 2d Lieut. Claude M. Burns, S. C., and 
2d Lieut. H. C. Maffitt, S. C., on temporary duty Coutras. Re¬ 
turned December 24. 

Dec. 25. Maj. Robert H. Stanley, M. C., and W. F. Verdi, M. C., 
Capt. Thomas Green, M. C., Frank A. Walker, M. C., and David 
A. Walker, M. C., and 1st Lieuts. Harry L. Wheat, M. C., Max¬ 
well L. Volk, M. C., Edward J. Weadock, M. C., James W. Silla¬ 
man, M. C., and Capt. Charles D. Mason, M. C.—temporary duty 
Embarkation Camp, Genicart. Returned December 27. Capt. Cale 
C. Craig, M. C., on temporary duty at Andre de Cubzac. 

Dec. 26. Capt. John H. Maloney, D. C., on leave. 

Dec. 27. Maj. Frederick W. Moeller, M. C., Capt. Earl L. Hen¬ 
dricks, William T. Thompson, and Frank O. Brunkhorst, M. C., 
transferred to duty Hdq. Base Section No. 1, A. E. F. 

Dec. 27. Capt. George A. Leland, Jr., M. C., appointed Command¬ 
ing Officer Convalescent Pavilion for Officers, relieving Major 
Anderson. 

Dec. 28. Maj. Alexander Quackenboss, M. C., and Capt. Charles 
N. O. Leir, M. C., transferred to Casual Officers’ Camp for re¬ 
turn to U. S. Maj. Homer Scott, M. C., transferred to duty, 
Hdq. Base Section No. 1. Maj. Richard F. O’Neil and Maj. 
Beth Vincent, M. C., on leave at Rouen. 

Dec. 29. Capt. Eugene V. Powell, M. C., reported for duty as 
roentgenologist. Maj. Robert H. Stanley, 1st Lieuts. Leroy A. 
Hammer, Willard S. Howard, Maxwell L. Volk, and Harry R. 
Wheat, M. C., transferred to Hdq. Base Section No. 1. 1st Lieut. 
J. S. Hodgson, M. C., in charge of preparation of index of dis¬ 
eases of admissions to this Station. 

Dec. 30. Capts. Arthur H. Terry, James A. Belyea, James W. Powers, 
1st Lieuts. James E. Reese, and Roland A. Davison, M. C., on 
temporary duty Embarkation Camp, Gironde. Maj. E. L. Oliver, 
M. C., appointed officer in charge of carrying out provisions of 


212 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1918 : 

Cir. No. 61 C. S. O. 2d Lieut. M. C. Maffitt, S. C., on tem¬ 
porary duty, Perigueux. Returned December 31. Capt. Bruce M. 
Moehler, S. C., on temporary duty, Angouleme. 

Dec. 31. Maj. Charles L. G. Anderson, M. C., on leave at Nice. 
Capt. Charles D. Mason, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Edward G. Wen- 
dock, M. C., transferred to duty Hdq. Base Section No. 1. Chap¬ 
lain William M. McGuire, C. C., transferred to Hdq. Base Sec¬ 
tion No. 2 for assignment to transport duty. 

In addition, during month of December, 1918: 

57 nurses and 2 aides reported for duty; 2 on duty transferred 
to duty at other Stations; 15 on temporary duty transferred to duty 
Base Hospital No. 13; 3 transferred to United States; 45 on sick and 
regular leave. 4 secretaries on leave. 

Medical Detachment soldiers: 8 reported for duty; 1 reported 
for temporary duty; 2 on duty transferred to duty other Stations; 
5 on duty transferred to temporary duty other Stations; 6 returned 
from temporary duty to duty; 1 transferred to Prison Camp; 3 trans¬ 
ferred to United States; 40 on leave. 

igig: 

Jan. 1. Capt. H. G. Tobey, M. C., and Chaplain H. K. Sherrill, 
C. C., on leave at Rouen. Returned January 6. Capt. J. H. 
Maloney, D. C., returned from leave. Transferred to United 
States January 5. 

Jan. 2. Maj. W. F. Verdi, M. C., transferred to United States. 
Jan. 3. Maj. R. F. O’Neil and Beth Vincent, M. C., returned from 
leave. Capt. Paul D. White, M. C., relieved from duty as Medi¬ 
cal Supply Officer. 

Jan. 4. Capt. George Clymer, M. C., reported for duty with U. S. A. 
Base Hospital No. 6. 

Jan. 6. 1st Lieut. P. C. Robertson, M. C., appointed Commanding 
Officer of Officers’ Convalescent Pavilion (Chateau de Beycheville), 
relieving Captain Leland for return to duty as Adjutant. 

Jan. 7. 1st Lieut. Paul H. Lippold, M. C., returned to duty from 
temporary duty with Field Hospital No. 331. 

Jan. 8. Lieut. Col. Lincoln Davis, M. C., returned to duty from 
temporary duty with Field Hospital No. 331. 

Jan. 9. 1st Lieut. Horace F. Tangeman, M. C., appointed Com¬ 
manding Officer of Officers’ Convalescent Pavilion (Chateau de 
Beycheville), relieving Lieutenant Robertson. Capt. William Allan, 
M. C., and 1st Lieut. Charles S. Glasgow, S. C., on leave at 
Ste. Manehould. Lieutenant Glasgow returned to duty January 20. 


Official Chronology 


213 


1919: 

Jan. 10. Maj. R. F. Leinbach, M. C., on leave at Nice. Returned 
Januar)^ 20. Capt. George Clymer, M. C., appointed in Charge 
of Detachment of Nurses for Embarkation and Travel to United 
States. 1st Lieut. DeWitt S. Clark, M. C., appointed Medical 
Officer to Medical Detachment for Embarkation and Travel to 
United States. 1st Lieut. George R. Chick, S. C., appointed As¬ 
sistant Company Commander. Maj. James H. Means, M. C., 
reported for duty. Appointed Officer in Charge of Embarkation 
of personnel of Unit. 

Jan. 11. Maj. A. S. Merrill, M. C., on leave at Pau. Returned 
January 21. Capts. Arthur H. Terry, M. C., James A. Belyea, 
M. C., James W. Powers, M. C., and 1st Lieuts. Roland A. 
Davison, M. C., and James W. Reese, M. C., returned to duty 
from temporary duty Embarkation Camp, Gironde. 

Jan. 12. Capt. Paul D. White, M. C., on leave at Rouen. Returned 
January 20. 

Jan. 12. 1st Lieut. V. E. Van Kirk, M. C., reported for temporary 
duty with U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6, transferred to temporary 
duty with U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 208, January 17. 

Jan. 13. Chaplain Gerald S. McGourty, C. C., transferred to duty 
at Castres. Capt. Thomas S. Green, M. C., reported for duty 
with U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6. 

Jan. 14. Chaplain H. K. Sherrill, C. C., transferred to duty Hdq. 
1st Army. 1st Lieut. Ralph P. Heard, S. C., appointed Baggage 
Officer for Embarkation and Travel of Unit to United States. 

Jan. 15. Capts. Patrick Griffin, M. C., James F. Coupal, M. C., 
John G. Boyd, S. C., Harry Gauss, M. C., Bruce M. Moehler, 
S. C., 1st Lieuts. Samuel A. White, M. C., Arthur M. Bacon, 
M. C., Andrew B. Jones, M. C., James L. Laughlin, S. C., Fred¬ 
erick S. Hastings, S. C., Charles L. Cassell, D. C., R. H. Pfeiffer, 
D. C., and 2d Lieuts. Claude M. Burns, S. C., Howard C. Maf- 
fitt, S. C., and Emory L. Schutt, S. C., transferred to duty with 
U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 208. 

Jan. 16. 2d Lieut. Ralph W. Daggett, Q. M. C., transferred to duty 
with U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 208. Maj. Roger Kinnicutt, 
M. C., reported for duty with U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6. 

Jan. 17. 1st Lieut. Thomas M. Barber, M. C., transferred to duty 
with 49th Co. 20th Engineers. Capt. William M. Hunter, M. C., 
from temporary duty at Hdq. S. O. S. to leave at Ste. Menehould. 
Returned January 31. 

Jan. 19. Capt. F. C. Irving, M. C., returned to duty U. S. A. Base 
Hospital No. 6 from temporary duty with Field Hospital No. 331. 


214 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1919: 

Jan. 21. Capt. Wade S. Wright, M. C., on leave at Rouen. Re¬ 
turned January 24. Capt. Harry Gauss, M. C., transferred to 
duty with Base Laboratory, Base Section No. 2, revoking order 
January 15. 

Jan. 22. Maj. C. L. G. Anderson, M. C., returned from sick leave. 
Jan. 23. Lieut. Col. R. C. Cabot, M. C., relieved from duty and 
transferred to United States. 

Jan. 24. Capt. H. C. Marble, M. C., and 1st Lieut. D. Basnett, 
S. C., on leave at Digne. 

Jan. 25. Maj. William L. Moss, M. C., reported U. S. A. Base 
Hospital No. 6 for duty. 1st Lieut. Charles L. Allen, M. C., and 
1st Lieut. James M. Davis, M. C., on leave at Pau. 

Jan. 27. 1st Lieut. Charles S. Glasgow, S. C., appointed Assistant 
Company Commander. 

Jan. 28. Capt. Raymond H. Spivy, M. C., reported for return to 
United States with U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 6. 

Jan. 29. Capts. Robert H. Crawford, M. C., Paul D. White, M. C., 
1st Lieuts. Carl A. L. Binger, M. C., John S. Hodgson, M. C., 
DeWitt S. Clark, M. C., transferred to 1st Replacement Depot, 
St. Aignan, for discharge from the Service, for service with Ameri¬ 
can Red Cross Balkan Commission. 1st Lieuts. George R. Chick 
and Edward C. Roundy, S. C., on leave at Nice. Capt. F. C. 
Irving, M. C., appointed Acting Company Commander during 
absence of Lieutenant Roundy. 

Jan. 30. 2d Lieut. G. W. Everberg, Q. M. C., on leave at Rouen. 
Jan. 31. Maj. Archibald L. Miller, D. C., on temporary duty at 
Tours. 

In addition, during month of January, 1919: 

3 nurses reported for duty; 3 returned to duty from temporary duty 
Evacuation Hospital No. 1; 3 Reconstruction Aides and 2 nurses on 
duty transferred to duty at other Stations; 4 nurses discharged from 
Service for service with Red Cross; 1 dietitian discharged from Service 
for service with Y. M. C. A.; 1 secretary on duty transferred to duty 
U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 57; 47 nurses on sick and regular leave. 

Medical Detachment soldiers: 13 reported for duty; 4 transferred 
from duty to temporary duty other Stations; 8 returned to duty from 
temporary duty other Stations; 1 transferred from duty to duty other 
Station; 8 transferred to duty with U. S. A. Base Hospital 208; 5 on 
temporary duty transferred to temporary duty with U. S. A. Base Hos¬ 
pital 208; 4 transferred to Prison Camp, St. Loubes, as prisoners; 
1 transferred to United States; 14 transferred to U. S. A. Base Hos¬ 
pital 208 for return to the United States on account of physical dis¬ 
ability; 49 on leave. 


Official Chronology 


215 


1919: 

Feb. 1. Capt. William Allan, M. C., Capt. William M. Hunter, 
M. C., and Capt. Wade S. Wright, M. C., returned from leave 
of absence. Maj. Addison G. Brenizer, Jr., M. C., proceeded on 
leave of absence. Capt. Arthur H. Terry, M. C., returned from 
temporary duty at Embarkation Camp, Genicart. Maj. Ernest C. 
Lee, M. C., transferred from temporary duty Base Hospital No. 6 
to temporary duty Base Hospital No. 208. 

Feb. 2. 2d Lieut. Melvin D. Wilson, Q. M. C., from temporary 
duty Base Hospital No. 6 to duty Hdq., Agricultural and Educa¬ 
tional Work, Base Section No. 2. 

Feb. 3. Capt. George Clymer, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Ralph P. Heard, 
S. C., proceeded on leave of absence. Capt. Henry C. Marble, 
M. C., 1st Lieut. Douglas Basnett, S. C., and 2d Lieut. Gustave 
W. Everberg, Q. M. C., returned from leave of absence. Capt. 
James A. Belyea, M. C., transferred to duty at Evacuation Hospi¬ 
tal No. 12, Treves, Germany. 

Feb. 5. Capt. Wade S. Wright, M. C., returned from leave of 
absence. 

Feb. 6. Capt. Eugene V. Powell, M. C., transferred to duty Camp 
Hospital No. 68, Bourges, France. Majs. Ralph E. Balch, Frank 
E. Darling, M. C., Capts. Cale C. Craig, Arthur H. Terry, 
David A. Walker, William W. McMillan, James W. Powers, 
Frank J. Walker, M. C., 1st Lieuts. Roland A. Davison, Paul H. 
Lippold, James W. Reese, Horace F. Tangeman, and James W. 
Sillaman, M. C., transferred to duty Base Hospital No. 208. 

Feb. 8. Capt. Hamilton W. McKay, M. C., returned from temporary 
duty Bassens Docks. Capt. George Clymer, M. C., and 1st Lieuts. 
Charles I. Allen, James M. Davis, M. C., and 1st Lieut. Ralph P. 
Heard, S. C., returned from leave of absence. 

Feb. 9. 1st Lieuts. George R. Chick and Edward C. Roundy, S. C., 
returned from leave of absence. Capt. George Clymer, M. C., 
and 1st Lieut. Perry C. Robertson, M. C., transferred to Savenay, 
for return to U. S. Maj. Charles L. G. Anderson, M. C., trans¬ 
ferred to Hdq. Base Section No. 1. 

Feb. 11. Maj. Addison G. Brenizer, M. C., returned from leave of 
absence. 

Feb. 12. Capt. Hamilton W. McKay, M. C., transferred to duty 
Hdq. Base Section No. 2. Capt. James P. Matheson, M. C., and 
1 st Lieut. Archie A. Barron, M. C., returned from temporary 
duty. 1st Lieut. Archie A. Barron, M. C., transferred to Base 
Hospital No. 208 for return to U. S. on account of disability. 

Feb. 13. Capt. Wade S. Wright, M. C., transferred to St. Aignan 
for discharge from service to join A. R. C. Commission to Poland. 


21 6 


Base Hospital No. 6 


1919: 

Feb. 14. Majs. Addison G. Brenizer, Roger Kinnicutt, Robert F. 
Leinbach, James H. Means, Adelbert S. Merrill, William M. 
Moss, Everard L. Oliver, Richard F. O’Neil, Beth Vincent, M. C., 
Capts. William Allan, Ralph A. Hatch, William M. Hunter, 
Frederick C. Irving, Henry C. Marble, James P. Matheson, Ray¬ 
mond M. Spivey, Harold G. Tobey, Henry G. Turner, M. C., 
1st Lieuts. Charles I. Allen, James M. Davis, M. C., George R. 
Chick, Ralph P. Heard, S. C., William H. Gullifer, D. C., and 
2d Lieut. Gustave W. Everberg, Q. M. C., transferred to U. S. 
on U. S. S. Abangarez. ist Lieut. Carl Leo, Infantry, transferred 
to Base Hospital No. 208. 

Feb. 17. Capt. Marion H. Wyman, M. C., reported for duty and 
proceeded on leave of absence. 

Feb. 18. Maj. Archibald L. Miller, D. C., transferred to Bordeaux 
Embarkation Camp for return to U. S. 

Feb. 20. Capt. Thomas S. Green, M. C., transferred to duty Camp 
Hospital No. 102, Virelands, France. 

Feb. 23. Capt. Marion H. Wyman, M. C., returned from leave of 
absence. 

In addition, during month of February, 1919: 

2 Nurses reported for duty; 79 Nurses, 8 Reconstruction Aides, 
and 1 Civilian Secretary transferred to duty Base Hospital No. 208; 
69 Nurses and 3 Civilian Secretaries returned to U. S. 

Medical Detachment soldiers: 1 reported for duty; 209 transferred 
to Base Hospital No. 208 for duty; 2 transferred to Base Hospital 
No. 208 for return to U. S. on account of disability; 2 transferred 
to St. Loubes Prison Camp as prisoners; 1 returned to U. S.; 1 trans¬ 
ferred to Intelligence Department; and 7 transferred to Beau Desert 
Hospital Center to await orders for discharge from service for duty 
with American Red Cross Balkan Commission. 

March 4. Capt. Marion H. Wyman, M. C., transferred to Univer¬ 
sity of Bordeaux. 

In addition, during month of March, 1919: 

Medical Detachment soldiers: 4 reported for duty; 7 were out 
of organization; 1 died at sea returning to U. S. 

April 5. ist Lieut. Charles S. Glasgow, S. C., transferred to Camp 
Lee, Det. Base Hospital No. 6 at Camp Merritt, New Jersey, 
ist Lieut. Edward C. Roundy, S. C., transferred to Base Hospital, 
Camp Merritt, New Jersey, as patient. 

April 9. Lieut. Col. Lincoln Davis, M. C., Capt. G. A. Leland, Jr., 
M. C., and ist Lieut. Douglas Basnett, S. C., transferred to 151st 
Depot Brigade, unassigned. Enlisted men remaining with organ¬ 
ization (94) mustered out. 



Roofs of the French Barracks 



The Chateau Crespy 







































































































- 

If*'.- ■ ■ * ' : * • • * • -i >* * 



















- 





Official Chronology 


217 


In addition, during month of April, 1919: 

Medical Detachment soldiers: One transferred to Base Hospital, 
Camp Merritt, New Jersey, as patient; 61 transferred to other de¬ 
tachments for demobilization; 2 transferred to Base Hospital, Camp 
Devens, Massachusetts, as patients. 

IV. MEDICAL SERVICE 

First patients admitted August 21, 1917. 

In general, through the winter the hospital was very busy with 
acute infectious diseases, especially lobar pneumonia among the negro 
stevedores. Various contagious diseases—measles, scarlet fever, mumps, 
chicken pox, diphtheria, and epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis—have 
been treated during winter. 

Since May, 1918, Surgical Service has been more active, on ac¬ 
count of the convoys coming in from the front, illness being less fre¬ 
quent. Much of the attention of the Medical Service is now taken 
up with gassed cases. 

Oct. 1, 1917— 

Number of patients in hospital, 160; number of beds, 200. 

Jan. I, 1918- 

Number of patients in hospital, 325; number of beds, 500. 

April 1, 1918—■ 

Number of patients in hospital, 574 J number of beds, 1,000. 

June 1, 1918— 

Number of patients in hospital, 864; number of beds, 1,800. 

June 30, 1918— 

Number of patients in hospital, 1,384; number of beds, 2,200. 

Number of surgical operations performed during October, Novem¬ 
ber, and December, 1917, 231. 

Number of surgical operations performed during January, February, 
and March, 19 1 8, 339 - 

Number of surgical operations performed during April, May, and 
June, 1918, 535 - 

The clinical and bacteriological laboratories were established by 
Captains Moss and Kinnicutt, and throughout the winter and spring 
have been very active. The work on the meningitic cases, grouping 
and standardization of various antimeningococcus sera, was of special 
value and interest. Lieutenant Binger cooperated in this investigation. 
The pathological material has been large; 117 post-mortem examina¬ 
tions have been made. 

On March 1 the hospital laboratories were made the site of the 
Base Laboratory of Base Section No. 2, S. O. S. 


2 I 8 


Base Hospital No. 6 


July i, 1918—July 31, 1918 

The striking thing for the month of July is the emptying of the 
pneumonia, meningitis, scarlet fever, mumps, and measles wards. Dur¬ 
ing the month there have been only occasional cases of these infections. 
The Medical Wards are now filled with a rather mild type of poison¬ 
ing by gas, chiefly mustard gas, and by a fairly large group of war 
neuroses. 

A system of tests has been inaugurated by Lieutenant White to 
determine the fitness of men who have been gassed to return to the 
Front. By seeing how long they can hold their breath, how hard 
they can blow, how they bear walking or running with gas masks on, 
and by watching baseball games organized between gas wards, it has 
been possible to check the statements of patients as to their degree of 
disability. 

Dysentery, chiefly acute bacillary, with occasionally a chronic case 
of amoebic, has begun to turn up. The cases so far have been very 
slight and there have been no fatalities. 

There has been a remarkable absence of kidney trouble and a very 
small amount of tuberculosis and diseases of the stomach. 

Considerable effort has been devoted to the problem of providing 
convalescent patients with proper employment. 

Number of admissions to hospital during July, 3,115. 

July 31. Number of patients in hospital, 2,332. Number of beds, 
2,600. 

Number of surgical operations during July, 325. 

August 1-31, 1918 

During the month of August, we have had considerable increase 
in the amount of dysentery, almost wholly of the bacillary type, and 
mild. 

The most striking and important characteristic in the Medical 
Service during August, however, has been the epidemic of short febrile 
cases, of unknown origin, some of which Captain Kinnicutt has isolated 
with the meningococcus type C. This has prevailed to a considerable 
extent, both among the personnel and patients, small epidemics start¬ 
ing in surgical wards occasionally. The cases have been mild, although 
the fever has usually run from four to eight days. A few cases of 
bronchopneumonia, probably of this origin, have also been seen. 

The exercises and tests inaugurated by Lieutenant White for the 
training of patients poisoned by gas has now been extended, to cover 
convalescents from infectious diseases and surgical troubles, so that 
over 500 cases are now included in this training battalion, which is 
under the care of Lieutenant White, with the assistance of Lieutenants 
Thorne and Hawley. The system is capable of considerable further 
development. 


Official Chronology 


219 


September 1-30, 1918 

The epidemic of short fevers reported in the history for August, 
1918, became much more serious and extensive during the month of 
September. Whereas in the earlier months many of these fevers were 
over in three days, the majority of them run from four to eight days, 
and the incidence of bronchopneumonia has very much increased. 
Indeed, a great majority of the cases probably had some infection of 
the lungs. About 10 per cent of the cases were very serious, and nearly 
that number proved fatal, the autopsy showing in every case extensive 
bronchopneumonia. During the month of September, however, prac¬ 
tically no cases of meningitis were seen—a notable fact, in view of 
Captain Kinnicutt’s finding of the meningococcus in the blood and 
lungs of the prevailing epidemic cases. 

Almost no new cases of gas poisoning and few medical cases outside 
of the prevailing epidemics were received during the month of Septem¬ 
ber. Dysentery decreased in amount and was almost wholly bacillary 
in type. 

Up to the end of the month the personnel of the hospital had not 
been extensively attacked by any of the epidemics prevailing among 
the patients. 


October 1—31, 1918 

The epidemic referred to in the history of the last month reached 
its height during the first week of October, declining sharply during 
the second week, and at the end of the month was nearly extinct, so 
far as concerns cases originating in our own Unit or brought here from 
the Base. This corresponds roughly with the condition of things the 
world over. Indeed, there seems to have been only a few weeks’ dif¬ 
ference between dates on which the epidemic began in each of the 
countries of the world. As one attack appears to give immunity, we 
do not anticipate a renewal of this epidemic from local sources, though 
the hospital beds may again be occupied by cases of influenza brought 
in from epidemics originating elsewhere. The cases originating from 
our own Unit, and, therefore, seen early and promptly put to bed, 
have, as a rule, been mild. The severest cases have been those in per¬ 
sons debilitated either by the nature of their work or by the travel 
to which they have been subjected on their way to the hospital. In 
our own Unit, very few cases occurred among those directly in con¬ 
tact with influenza patients, while chauffeurs, cooks, and others not 
in immediate contact with the sick, were quite frequently affected. 
On the other hand, propinquity in sleeping quarters seems to be a 
fine source of danger, and the spread of the disease could often be traced 
to this. The course of the epidemic is indicated in the following 
chart. 


220 


Base Hospital No. 6 



Towards the end of the month, cases of meningitis began to appear. 
In this, as in all parts of the A. E. F., in the treatment of these cases, 
as in the epidemic of last winter, a very noted difference was apparent 
between the different types of therapeutic serum furnished. 

November 1-30, 1918 

As predicted in the history of last month, the epidemic which at¬ 
tacked us during October did not recur in November, though a few 
cases were admitted from time to time, all very light, and few, if any, 
such as would be recognizable outside of an epidemic. Approximately 
63 enlisted men, 18 nurses, and 8 officers of our own Command were 
attacked—approximate figures being given because of the number of 
cases in which the diagnosis was doubtful. Among these cases there 
was one death, that of Pvt. 1st cl. Allyn M. C. Berrie, M. D., on 
October 9. We have had no recognizable lapses or second attacks, 
nor has the amount of meningitis been such as to suggest any con¬ 
nection between our influenza epidemic and that disease. A few cases 
of meningitis have appeared each week during the month, but there 
has been no epidemic and no bunching of cases from any one Command 
or locality. 

The outstanding feature of the month, in contrast with the cor¬ 
responding month in 1917, has been the absence of any considerable 
number of exanthemata. At this time last year our wards contained 




Official Chronology 


221 


many cases of scarlet fever, measles, and mumps. This year we have 
had practically no scarlet fever or measles and only one group of mumps 
cases, all coming from a single locality, the early part of the month; 
after that, practically none at all. These facts, together with the 
steady emptying out of the patients carried over from the previous 
month, have brought our numbers steadily down. The only cases 
taken in during the latter part of the month represented the ordinary 
run of sick cases arising in the Base. As yet, we have had no large 
epidemic of pneumonia. On the other hand, cases of typhoid fever 
began to appear toward the end of the month in greater numbers than 
we have had at any time since we were established, although the num¬ 
ber of cases has never been high. 

December 1—31, 1918 

The decrease in our numbers during December has not been great, 
owing to the accumulation of unevacuated A and D patients. The 
former have been gathered into companies and segregated in separate 
wards without nurses or orderlies. In these “Casual Camps” the men 
are not treated as patients, though a sick call is held, as in any other 
military unit. 

B patients have also been segregated in separate wards for greater 
convenience in evacuation. 

There has been no recurrence of the September-October epidemic, 
though scattered cases have been given that diagnosis. 

The number of cases of pneumonia and meningitis has been also 
notably small, so that we have had no “pneumonia ward”—a striking 
contrast with last year and with our expectations. 

For the most part our ward space has been taken up with cases 
of rheumatism, bronchitis, flat foot, hernia, etc., sent down from hos¬ 
pitals nearer the front. Most of these cases are for evacuation to 
the United States. 


V. SURGICAL SERVICE 
July 1, 1918—July 31, 1918 

In anticipation of the great increase in the number of surgical 
cases, the various departments of the Surgical Section were enlarged 
and re-grouped at the beginning of July, and a new administrative 
system inaugurated, which has proved very effective, especially in regard 
to immediate attention to and close supervision of all cases. 

Eighty per cent of the cases treated came under the head of war 
surgery. In this connection, secondary closure of at least 75 per cent 
of the wounds, before the tenth day, and a qualitative culture of the 
wounds to exclude all bacteria, except the ordinary skin staphylococci, 
has been followed with excellent results. In cases where more virulent 


222 


Base Hospital No. 6 


bacteria were found, the Carrel method of employing Dakin solution 
has been carried out in detail. 

Cases of general surgery included bone transplanting, gall bladder, 
stomach, goitre, brain, spinal cord, and nerve surgery, as well as the 
more frequent cases of appendicitis, hernia, hemorrhoids, etc. 


August 1—31, 1918 

Number of admissions to Surgical Service during the month, 2,475. 

Number of operations, 673. 

Total number of deaths in the Surgical Service, 7; 4 of the deaths 
with operative intervention. 

The operations have been chiefly secondary wound closures, of which 
there have been 401. Other operations include: gastroenterostomy, 
thyroidectomy, trephining skull, blood transfusion, plastic operations, 
redressment of fractures, extraction of foreign bodies, appendectomy, 
herniotomy, thoracotomy, tonsillectomy, etc. 

There has never been a death among about 700 secondary wound 
closures, of which the majority, 401, were done during August. 

The number of cases received, operated upon, and discharged is 
higher than in any previous month in the hospital’s existence; the 
mortality percentage is the lowest. 

On July 28 a small group of surgical cases (American) was sent 
to the French Cure Agricole at Carona, under the supervision of 
Lieut. Col. J. Bergonie; and on August 5 this experiment was ex¬ 
tended to the French Cures Agricoles at Martillac and Preignac, groups 
being sent to each of these Cures at various times during the month. 

Number of admissions to hospital during August, 3,165. 

Aug. 31. Number of patients in hospital, 2,971. 

Normal capacity, 2,600 beds. 


September 1-30, 1918 

During the month of September the surgical w’ork was much lighter 
than during the several preceding months. Its general character was 
similar to that in August. Of 2,330 cases admitted to the hospital 
during the month, 594 were surgical. 594 operations were performed. 
Number of deaths on Surgical Service, 8. 

Number of admissions to hospital during September, 2,330. 

Sept. 30. Number of patients in hospital, 2,996. 

Normal capacity, 2,750. 

Largest number of patients in hospital during the month (Sept. 7), 
3 , 134 - 


Official Chronology 


223 


October 1-31, 1918 

The receipt of large numbers of wounded made the Surgical Service 
busy again after its relatively quiet month of September. A change 
occurred this month in the policy regarding the work of the Disability 
Board, whereby surgical cases which formerly were kept in the hospi¬ 
tal for operation are now sent directly to the United States. 382 
operations were performed. 

Number of admissions to hospital during October, 4,378. 

Oct. 31. Number of patients in hospital, 3,510. 

Normal capacity, 3,000. 

Largest number of patients in hospital during the month (Oct. 28), 
4 , 233 . 

November 1-30, 1918 

1,009 surgical cases were received during the month of November— 
a marked falling off from the previous month. 446 operations were 
performed, mostly secondary sutures of wounds. The mortality rate 
on the Surgical Service has remained, as formerly, a little less than 
1 per cent, and in operated cases a little more than per cent. 

Cases were evacuated to the United States rapidly throughout the 
month, in convoys of 100 to 400. Early in the month it became im¬ 
possible to evacuate A cases, which accordingly have accumulated and 
been segregated in convalescent wards, without nursing, or medical 
records. 

Number of admissions to hospital during November, 2,745. 

Nov. 30. Number of patients in hospital, 2,311. Normal capacity, 
3,000. 

Largest number of patients in hospital during the month (Nov. 12), 
4 , 319 . 


December 1-31, 1918 


During December there was a considerable reduction in the num¬ 
ber of cases received. The maximum number of surgical cases at any 
one time never exceeded a thousand. There were only 72 operations 
performed during the entire month, less than any month since De¬ 
cember of last year. The large majority of surgical cases received 
were sent from other hospitals for classification and return to the 
United States. Only urgent operations, such as for acute appendicitis, 
abscess, empyema, and hemorrhage were performed. At the end of 
December, 3,567 operations had been performed in this hospital, out 


of 17,466 cases on the Surgical Service. 

Number of admissions to hospital during December, 2,114. 

Dec. 31, 1918. Number of patients in hospital, 1,503. Normal 

capacity, 3,000. . , . . , . /T ^ x 

Largest number of patients in hospital during the month (Dec. 4 /, 


2,338. 


224 


Base Hospital No. 6 


January 1-31, 1919 

Number of operations January 1-14, 30. 

Number of admissions January 1-14, 1,454. 

Jan. 14. Number of patients in hospital, 2,128. Normal capacity, 

3,ooo. 

Largest number of patients in hospital during January 1-14 
(Jan. 11), 2,817. 

Total number of admissions 1917-1918-1919: American, 25,576; 
British, 221; French, 359. 

The following chart shows highest population at any one time 
during each month. 

Total number of operations 1917-1918-1919, 3,597- 
Total number of deaths 1917-1918-1919, 434. 


Official Chronology 


225 

































STATISTICAL SURVEY OF PATIENTS 
J. H. Means 

A STATISTICAL survey of a single hospital is of 
interest chiefly to the personnel of that hospital. 
From a broader point of view such statistics are 
largely meaningless. To be of general interest they would 
have to be correlated to such factors as the size of the ex¬ 
peditionary force, the distance from the front, the number 
of troops in the hospital area, the activity on the front, and 
the general prevalence of epidemic disease. 

To the Hospital personnel, however, statistics are of in¬ 
terest, for they show in an exact way three things well worth 
remembering. These being the amount of work done, the 
kind of work done, and the relation of active to inactive times. 

The amount of work done can perhaps best be shown 
graphically. In Fig. i the columns show by weeks the number 
of patients in hospital. It will be seen that during the first 
winter the number gradually rose to five hundred. The total 
number of official beds, that is to say, the number of beds re¬ 
ported to the Chief Surgeon as ready for occupancy, is shown 
in Fig. i by the heavy black line. The number of available 
beds kept ahead of the total number of patients until the last 
week in August, 1918. Then for about three months the hos¬ 
pital was full over and above its official capacity. The ad¬ 
ditional patients were cared for by crowding, and by the use 
of corridors and other makeshifts. The first great increase 
in capacity came in April, 1918, when a considerable number 
of the newly constructed wards were completed. The capacity 
then reached 2,200 beds and after that was gradually in¬ 
creased to its maximum of 3,036. In this connection it is 
interesting to note that the base hospital was originally 
planned to be one of but 500 beds! Through the second summer 
and early autumn the number of patients increased to a maxi¬ 
mum of 4,319, which was reached the last week in October, 
1918. 

In Fig. 2 are shown the admissions and discharges by weeks, 
and this figure, together with Fig. 1, will throw some light 
on the type of patients cared for. In Fig. 1, for example, each 
column is divided into two portions; the upper, shaded, 

226 


WIT tqit i<m 

^ UG 1 - SFPT .L. QCX .. I NQV ..1 OF . fl - 1 lTAN I FE FY I. MAR L APR I MAY I J UMP 1 JULY I AUG I .SEPT t OCT I NQV I DEC. I JAM 



227 


FIGX TOTAL PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL BY WEEKS ■ INJURY m DISEASE 























































































228 


Base Hospital No. 6 


shows the number of patients suffering from diseases of all 
sorts; the lower portion, black, the injured (this includes 
accidentally injured as well as wounded in action). 

Through the first winter it will be seen the patients were 
largely sick. A great many of them had pneumonia, indeed, 
more than half of our total deaths were from pneumonia (this 
includes “Flu” pneumonia). The sick during the first winter 
were for the most part from the troops in Base Section No. 2. 
The first convoy from the advance zone arrived on April 3, 
1918, but wounded did not begin to arrive in large numbers 
until the middle of June. Then, as both Figs. 1 and 2 show, 
they arrived rapidly. The greatest number admitted in one 
week was in that ending July 29. The total number of con¬ 
voys received was thirty-nine, the number of patients in each 
and their approximate dates are shown in Fig. 2. After the 
July activity, the number of wounded fell off for a few weeks, 
to begin again in the latter half of October and early Novem¬ 
ber. At the same time it will be noted that from the last 
week in September, 1918, till into November, a great number 
of sick were admitted. This increase was almost entirely 
due to the influenza epidemic. 

The total number of patients received in the thirty-nine 
convoys from advanced areas was 16,150, the majority of 
them being wounded. The total number of patients cared for 
by Base Hospital No. 6, between July 1, 1917, and January 
14, 1919 (when it was relieved by Base Hospital No. 208), 
was 24,122, or an average of 1,304 per month. The total 
number of deaths during this same period was 434, or 1.9 
per cent. 

A table of the diagnoses in these 24,122 patients has 
been prepared from the official records by Miss O’Gorman. 
Some of the more frequent ailments, with their mortality in 
per cent, are as follows: 



T otal 

Cases 

Deaths 

Mortality 
Per cent 

Gunshot wounds 

6,751 

43 

.6 

Gassed 

1,966 

9 

.4 

Pneumonia 

i,352 

283 

21. 

Fractures 

1,045 

9 

.8 

Diarrhoea and Colitis 

515 

4 

.8 


As pointed out earlier, such statistics mean nothing as 
regards the importance of the several causes of death and 



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229 


INJURED □ ~ DISEASE FIQ.Z. ADMISSIONS AND DISCHARGES BY WEEKS B = INJURED 0= DISEASE 

a AND a COLUMN = total ADMISSION E3 AND m COLUMN *=■ TOTAL- discharge. 




















































































































































230 


Base Hospital No. 6 


illness to the army as a whole. They are interesting solely 
from a local point of view. Our wounded, since we were far 
from the front, were those that could stand transportation 
by railway train, hence their mortality was slight. With us 
disease, therefore, caused by far the greater proportion of 
deaths, and of the several diseases, pneumonia (including “Flu” 
pneumonia) caused over ten times more deaths than any other 
one disease. The next on the list was cerebro-spinal fever. 
The statistics of the common infections, other than pneu¬ 
monia and influenza, were as follows: 



T otal 

Deaths 

Mortality 


Cases 


Per cent 

Mumps 

447 

0 

0. 

Gonorrhoea 

437 

0 

0. 

Acute Tonsillitis 

34i 

0 

0. 

Syphilis 

315 

5 

1.6 

Rheumatic Fever 

301 

0 

0. 

Otitis Media 

292 

6 

2. 

Pulmonary Tuberculosis 

227 

8 

3-5 

Measles 

113 

7 

6.2 

Diphtheria 

79 

2 

2.5 

Scarlet Fever 

78 

2 

2.5 

Cerebro-spinal Fever 

69 

26 

35. 

Non-pulmonary Tuberculosis 

45 

17 

38. 

Malaria 

30 

0 

0. 

Typhoid 

9 

3 

33. 


From this it appears that the highest per cent mortality 
was in the non-pulmonary forms of tuberculosis (meningitis, 
acute miliary, etc.) thirty-eight per cent; then in cerebro¬ 
spinal fever thirty-five per cent; and typhoid, thirty-three per 
cent. It is interesting to note that typhoid, a rare disease in 
the World War, provided but nine cases out of 24,122, 
but yet, when it did occur, its death rate was high. 

To recapitulate we may say that the first winter at Bor¬ 
deaux (1917-1918) was concerned largely with the care of 
patients with infectious diseases. Then it was that we had 
our largest number of cases of the acute exanthemata and 
of cerebro-spinal fever. The summer of 1918 was occupied 
with the care of wounded, and finally in the early autumn 
began that great influenza epidemic which included the entire 
A. E. F., as it did indeed most of the civilized world. Ac¬ 
curate figures on the numbers of influenza patients treated in 
Base Hospital No. 6 cannot be given because of looseness in 


Statistical Survey of Patients 231 

diagnosis. The disease was not made reportable, as often 
contagious diseases were, until October 7, 1918, at which 
time the epidemic had already reached large proportions. 
Before that time many of the cases had been classified as 
F. U. O., bronchitis or pneumonia. The numbers of patients 
with influenza admitted to and remaining in hospital by weeks 
from October 7 will, however, give some idea of the propor¬ 
tion of the epidemic. 


INFLUENZA 


Week Ending 

Admitted 

Remaining 

Died 

Oct. 7 

382 

725 

45 

H 

25 

634 

0 

21 

5 i 

461 

0 

28 

13 

321 

0 

Nov. 4 

8 

230 

0 

11 

22 

184 

0 

18 

12 

178 

0 

25 

1 

155 

0 

Dec. 2 

0 

140 

0 


For the most part the patients treated in Base Hospital 
No. 6 were of the U. S. Army. There were a few, however, 
from the navy, and also a few allies. Thus 221 British 
sick, chiefly from some forestry units operating in the Gironde, 
and 359 French wounded found their way within our gates. 
A very few American civilians were also cared for. The 
American Consul’s wife, for example, did the hospital the 
honor of selecting it as her “lying-in” resort, and Capt. P. D. 
White had the honor of being the accoucheur, the obstetrical 
department being absent, at the time, on the Italian front. 


GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 6 
ORGANIZED RESERVES, U. S. ARMY 


AT the end of the war Base Hospital No. 6 ceased to exist 
as an official organization. To perpetuate its tradi- 
-L tions, and to continue a state of preparedness on the 
part of the parent institution, a new organization in the Organ¬ 
ized Reserves of the U. S. Army, known as General Hospital 
No. 6, was authorized by the Surgeon General on June 27, 
1922, and is now in process of formation. This new unit 
is a thousand bed hospital, and the tables of organization call 
for forty officers. 

The following graduates or staff members of the Massa¬ 
chusetts General Hospital have already been commissioned 
in the Reserve Corps, and assigned to General Hospital No. 6: 

Lieut. Col. J. H. Means, Med. O. R. C., Commanding 
Officer. 

Lieut. Col. W. J. Mixter, Med. O. R. C., Chief of Sur¬ 
gical Service. 

Major P. D. White, Med. O. R. C., Chief of Medical 
Service. 

Major G. A. Maclver, Med. O. R. C., Executive Officer. 

Major George Clymer, Med. O. R. C., Assistant to Chief 
of Medical Service. 

Major E. L. Oliver, Med. O. R. C., Assistant to Chief of 
Medical Service. 

Major G. A. Leland, Jr., Med. O. R. C., Assistant to 
Chief of Surgical Service. 

Major H. G. Tobey, Med. O. R. C., Assistant to Chief of 
Surgical Service. 

Capt. R. P. Heard, San. O. R. C., Assistant Quartermaster. 

The following are medical ward officers: 

Capt. J. H. Taylor, Med. O. R. C. 

1st Lieut. C. M. Jones, Med. O. R. C. 

1st Lieut. C. S. Burwell, Med. O. R. C. 

1 st Lieut. M. Fremont-Smith, Med. O. R. C. 

1st Lieut. W. B. Breed, Med. O. R. C. 

232 


General Hospital No. 6 


233 


The following are surgical ward officers: 

Capt. J. S. Hodgson, Med. O. R. C. 

1st Lieut. E. P. Hayden, Med. O. R. C. 

1st Lieut. C. C. Lund, Med. O. R. C. 

1 st Lieut. John Roch, Med. O. R. C. 

A number of others have signified their willingness to join, 
and their commissions and assignments are in various stages 
of advancement. Among these are Dr. J. Warren White, 
Dr. W. L. Davis, Dr. E. D. Churchill, and Rev. Donald B. 
Aldrich, who will join as Chaplain. 


234 


Base Hospital No. 6 


APPENDIX A 

At the reception June 9 , 1919 , to the Massachusetts General 
Hospital physicians, nurses and employees who served in the World 
War, the following letter was read: 

I am in receipt of an invitation from the Trustees of the Massa¬ 
chusetts General Hospital, inviting me to be present on the after¬ 
noon of Monday, June 9 , to meet the members of Base Hospital No. 
6 , and other persons who have served in the army after service in 
your hospital. 

I beg to thank the Trustees for the invitation, and I can’t forego 
a word of regret that I shall be unable to be present at any function 
which in any way comprehends a tribute to the personnel of Base 
Hospital No. 6. 

The actuation which I have in this matter, is, of course, abun¬ 
dantly known to you; but I shall be very grateful to you if you will 
express for me to the members of the unit, my very substantial and 
abiding appreciation of the splendid work they all did in the trying 
days of the situation of Bordeaux. It is my judgment that the ac¬ 
complishment there was a great one, and certainly no institution in 
the Lines of Communication in France carried forth its work to a 
more effective and entirely satisfactory result than Base Hospital 
Unit No. 6 accomplished at the Talence Hospital. 

I shall appreciate it very much if you will convey to all the 
personnel of the unit my very deep sense of gratitude for the fine 
work they did for the Medical Department, and I also hope that it 
may be my good fortune to encounter such splendid people should 
another emergency put us in the position we were in in 1917 . 

With best wishes for yourself, please believe me, 

Very sincerely yours, 

(Sd) F. A. Winter, 

Colonel, Medical Corps, U. S. A. 
Formerly Chief Surgeon, 
Lines of Communication. 


Appendix 


2 35 


APPENDIX B 

On Ether Day, October 18 , 1921 , at the Centennial of the open¬ 
ing of the Hospital, the following address was given: 

THE PLACE OF THE CIVIL GENERAL HOSPITAL IN THE 
SCHEME OF MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS 

By M. W. Ireland 
Surgeon General, U. S. Army 

Three-quarters of a century ago today happened the great event 
which we are gathered to celebrate and which Weir Mitchell, with 
characteristic felicity, termed “The Conquest Over Pain.” It is most 
appropriate that Ether Day should be marked by an annual celebra¬ 
tion, and I am glad that the Medical Department of the Army has 
an opportunity to speak its gratitude for this beneficent gift which 
has done so much to allay the vast sum of human suffering which 
we are called upon to witness and to relieve as best we may. 

I could not have brought myself to stand here, in the place of 
the great and gifted men who have in past years lent their eloquence 
to the celebration of this day, but for the fact that it gives me an op¬ 
portunity to thank the Trustees of this great hospital for the fine 
public service which it rendered to the Army during the World War. 
A century has passed since the first patient was admitted to this 
hospital, and during that time our country has been engaged in five 
wars. The first, in 1812 , secured for us the liberty of the seas. The 
second burst the bonds which would have held back the march of 
civilization to the Pacific. The third was the long and bloody op¬ 
eration which cut out the cancer of slavery from the vitals of our 
nation. The fourth rescued the fair islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, 
in which we had long and great and special interests, from the weak 
and cruel domination of Spain and awakened us to our long neglected 
responsibilities as a world power which have been so magnificently 
met in the World War. For this last and mightiest war, we are, as 
yet, too near it, and its ultimate results are too much shrouded in 
the mists of the future for me to undertake to name them in a phrase. 

The Massachusetts General Hospital is a civic institution which 
was founded and nourished by the generosity of your citizens of for¬ 
mer days for benevolent and humane purposes which have nothing 
to do with war. It has, therefore, in these former wars, sat at home 
like a good mother, attentive to the duties of its house, sending forth, 
it is true, its children to serve their country and care for its armies, 
and, like a good mother, welcoming them when they return with the 
laurels of duty well performed. It has also never failed to open its 


236 Base Hospital No. 6 

doors to the sick and wounded soldiers. But in the last great conflict 
war laid its rude hands on every department of human activity and 
on the persons or products of entire populations, mobilizing nations 
for its own terrible purposes in a way that had never before been 
dreamed of. In mobilizing the medical profession, for war, we went 
further than to call the children of the great medical institutions to 
come, one by one, to be incorporated into the medical service. 

The horticulturists, when they find a fruit tree which produces 
a specially valuable and delicious fruit, do not take the time to repro¬ 
duce it by the slow process of raising new plants from the seed. This, 
which is nature’s process, has, in addition to the disadvantage of 
delay, the uncertainty as to what may come from a seed in which 
many atavistic qualities are struggling to assert themselves. The 
gardener takes, instead, cuttings of the tree itself, which have the 
property of breeding true and continuing in the new plant all the ad¬ 
mirable qualities of its parent. 

Many months before our country entered the war, an officer of 
the Medical Corps of the Army, 1 who had been charged with the 
organization of the activities of the Red Cross having relation to 
our military service, saw an opportunity to use the horticultural 
method and by cutting off bodily a military base hospital from the 
existing organizations of the great civil hospitals, to obtain a mili¬ 
tary unit which bred true to the parent stamp and carried into mili¬ 
tary" life the noble traditions, the high professional standard, the 
cohesion, discipline and orderly methods of the parent institution. 
No provision for such ready made hospitals was contemplated by 
any law, but by the ingenious scheme of enrolling all of the per¬ 
sonnel in the Army Reserve, these units were, by the act of calling 
them into service in time of war, lifted bodily from the Red Cross 
into the Medical Department of the Army. The Massachusetts 
General Hospital, by such an operation, furnished to the Army 
Base Hospital No. 6, which, organized and commanded by your dis¬ 
tinguished Superintendent, Colonel F. A. Washburn, was among 
the first to join the A. E. F. in France, and created, in the suburbs 
of Bordeaux, a noble hospital which was a worthy daughter of this 
famous institution. 

Base Hospital No. 6 found a home at Talence, a suburb of Bor¬ 
deaux, in the buildings and fine park of the Petit Lycee, which was, 
however, already occupied by the French Hospital Complimentaire 
No. 25 . The French military authorities agreed to close this hos¬ 
pital as soon as the sick could be evacuated, but this was not at all 
in accordance with the views and desires of the chef, an old French 
physician of Bordeaux, who thought that it would be far more agree¬ 
able to retain his position and command both hospitals. Here, how¬ 
ever, he came in conflict with the will of the Commanding Officer of 
No. 6, which had something elemental and glacial in its slow, re- 


1 Col. Jefferson R. Kean. 



Appendix 


237 

sistless, forward movement which gradually shaped every tenacious 
root and removed him and his hospital from the scene. 

The French have a great reverence for trees, and appreciate, in a 
way that, unfortunately, most Americans do not, that these beautiful 
creations of nature are the gifts of the decades and of the centuries 
and cannot be made to order by the hand of men. Therefore they 
were not willing to give up their trees, even to the stern necessities 
of war, and stipulated with the American authorities that the trees 
should not be cut down in expanding the hospital by temporary 
buildings from its original 500 beds to more than 4 , 000 , which it 
sheltered at the time of the Armistice. Accordingly the wards had 
to be placed here and there, wherever a sufficient space among the 
trees could be found and the ground plan of the hospital presented 
extraordinary outlines which resembled a Chinese idiograph rather 
than any architectural scheme. As the climate of France is rainy 
and its soil notoriously adhesive to the feet, the Commanding Officer 
provided corridors which would protect his nurses and patients from 
the rain and mud in the comings and goings between the wards and 
the administrative buildings. Lumber, however, was very scarce in 
France and most of the planks and beams from which our hospital 
centers were constructed were standing in the pine forests of the 
Landes when the American Expeditionary Force set sail for France. 
The General Staff was, therefore, constantly preaching economy in 
the use of lumber, and when several of them, in the spring of 1918 , 
visited the sections of the S. O. S., and Bordeaux among them, to 
see how their injunctions as to economy and overcrowding were being 
carried out, they were scandalized to see these long and numerous 
corridors. “My God!” observed one of them, “the man is building 
a second Massachusetts General Hospital at Bordeaux.” Little they 
knew how well these corridors would serve to accommodate the beds 
in the crisis expansion of the terrible October days when the crest 
of the epidemic of influenza coincided with the crest of the great 
wave of wounded which flowed back from the six weeks’ battle in 
the Argonne and which strained the strength and resources of the 
Medical Department very nearly to the breaking point. 

But at this time Colonel Washburn’s transfer to England was 
ordered, where the hospitalization for American troops had been 
dragging and going badly and where the Chief Surgeon, who knew 
his value, felt a man of his qualifications and administrative ability 
was needed. There he remained, to be promoted later to the posi¬ 
tion of Chief Surgeon of the Base Section and the rank of colonel, 
to which the English Government added the decoration of the Order 
of St. Michael and St. George. Surely our government at no distant 
date will recognize the distinguished service of this officer. 

I regret that I cannot go with some detail into the operations of 
the several departments of this splendid hospital; the good work of 
Colonel Babcock, the next Commanding Officer; the medical service 


Base Hospital No. 6 


238 

under Colonel R. C. Cabot; the surgical service under Colonel Lin¬ 
coln Davis, and the fine nursing service under their admired leader, 
Miss Sara E. Parsons. Suffice it to say that in their work they 
maintained the fine traditions of this great hospital. The cutting 
brought forth fruit true to stock. I did not know how Colonel Cabot 
would like transplantation into military atmosphere and, therefore, 
I was greatly pleased to hear him say, in a speech at a dinner in 
Paris, that he considered the practice of medicine in a base hospital 
to be ideal in its conditions for the attainment of the best results, 
as there all specialties were represented, all worked together without 
rivalry, without any intrusion of the spirit of gain, for ends which 
were entirely noble, patriotism and the alleviation of human suffering. 

As regards the laboratory service, I might mention, as something 
novel and interesting, that when a very fatal epidemic broke out in 
the great Remount Depot at Souge which the veterinarians were not 
able to check, and which seriously depleted the supply of horses which 
were depended on to draw the cannon at the front, the Chief Surgeon 
of the Bordeaux section, Colonel Shaw, a graduate, by the way, of 
this hospital, took charge in person and took with him, from the 
laboratory section of No. 6, Drs. Moss and Binger as laboratory 
experts. Although they were not able to identify the causative 
organism, by the strict application of the well-known rules of epi¬ 
demiology, they were able to bring the epidemic promptly to an end. 

On January 14, 1919, Base Hospital No. 6 closed its records. The 
highest number of patients which it had sheltered at one time was 
4,300. The number of cases received in the surgical service was 
more than 17,000, and 3,442 operations were performed. The total 
number of patients cared for in the hospital during the sixteen months 
that it was in operation was more than 26,000. On February 14, 
1919, the staff and nurses set sail from Bordeaux and received a 
fitting welcome on their return home. 

In speaking of the contributions of the Massachusetts General 
Hospital in the war, I should mention that Base Hospital No. 6 had 
a half-sister, Base Hospital No. 55, which, though not a cutting from 
the old tree, was raised from Massachusetts General seed, since 
Colonel Franklin A. Balch, who was the Chief of the Surgical Service, 
selected its entire surgical staff from the graduates of this institution, 
which contributed also its chief nurse and the majority of its nurses. 
The fortunes of war carried No. 55 to Toul, where it was nearly 
within sound of the guns and was ready to receive the wounded 
from the great Argonne-Meuse battle. 

Soon after its return I wrote to the Trustees to express my 
appreciation of the great service which the Base Hospital had ren¬ 
dered to our Army in France and to express the hope that so valuable 
a unit would not be allowed to die, but that its organization would be 
perpetuated by the constant taking in of new men and nurses so that, 
if, unfortunately, the time should again come when the country 


Appendix 


239 


needed the help of this institution in war, we would find a living 
organization, enriched and strengthened by the traditions and mem¬ 
ories of its former service, and so starting out with a credit balance 
of morale which it takes a new organization months of training and 
skillful work to build up. Morale is a word which we hear very 
often these days. I heard a story of a recruit, some months ago 
(when we were having recruits), who asked his sergeant what the 
word “morale” meant. Sergeant Hennessey, an old timer, replied, 
“Morale, me b’y, is something that we had in the old days but didn’t 
have a name for it. Now we have a name for it and an officer to 
make it, but we haven’t got it.” Well, you have it here at the 
Massachusetts General, and you understand how much of it is the 
reflex of the past, and the product of good traditions. The pride 
with which you keep this anniversary is an evidence of it. May I 
not suggest that among your anniversaries you choose one associated 
with the career of Base Hospital No. 6, when its members may meet 
together and cultivate a wholesome pride in their membership in an 
organization which represents the patriotic contribution of this 
hospital in the World War and which has so well maintained its best 
traditions? 

The action of the Massachusetts General Hospital in giving to 
the Army Base Hospital No. 6 is the best answer as to the place of 
civil hospitals in our scheme of medical preparedness to meet a 
national emergency. 






















ROSTERS 



The rosters have been compiled from the records available at 
the time of demobilization. Previous transfers of personnel have 
rendered these records to a certain degree inaccurate. Errors and 
omissions, although carefully guarded against, will necessarily be 
found to exist.—Ed. note. 


BASE HOSPITAL NO. 6 


OFFICERS 


Adams, Zabdiel B., Major 

M.C., 

U. S. A. 

Aub, Joseph C., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Basnett, Douglas, First Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Binger, Carl A. L., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Bogan, Edward H., Captain 

Q. M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Cabot, Richard C., Lieutenant Colonel 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Chick, George R., First Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Clark, Dewitt S., Jr., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Cloudman, Francis H., First Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Connors, Harry, First Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Clymer, George, Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Davis, Lincoln, Lieutenant Colonel 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Everberg, Gustave W., Second Lieutenant 

Q.M.C., 

U. S. A. 

Gullifer, William H., First Lieutenant 

D. C., 

U. S. A. 

Hatch, Ralph A., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Heard, Ralph P., First Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Heilborn, Jerome S., Second Lieutenant 

C. A. C, 

U. S. A. 

Holmes, Robert W., Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Irving, Frederick C., Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Kinnicutt, Roger, Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Leland, George A., Jr., Captain 

M. C., 

. u. S. A. 

Marble, Henry C., Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

McAfee, Larry B., Colonel 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Means, James H., Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Merrill, Adelbert S., Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Mixter, William J., Lieutenant Colonel 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Moss, William L., Lieutenant Colonel 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Oliver, E. Lawrence, Major 

M. C., 

, U. S. A. 

O’Neil, Richard F., Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Roundy, Edward C., First Lieutenant 

San. C.. 

,U. S. A. 

Sherrill, Henry K., First Lieutenant 

c. c. ; 

, U. S. A. 

Sherburne, William H., First Lieutenant 

D. C., 

. U. S. A. 

Tobey, Harold Grant, Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Vincent, Beth, Major 

M. C, 

, U. S. A. 

Walker, Revello M., First Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Washburn, Frederic A., Colonel 

M. C.. 

,U. S. A. 

White, Paul D., Captain 

M. C, 

, U. S. A. 

Wright, Wade, Captain 

M. C. ; 

, U. S. A. 


243 


244 


Base Hospital No. 6 


NURSES 


Bagley, Angeline B., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Banta, Carrie T., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Banta, Mildred H., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Barton, Maude G., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Beecher, Laura M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Brook, Sarah, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Buchanan, Alice M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Carleton, Catherine F., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Conrick, Catherine A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Cormier, Bernadette, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

DeLaney, Gertrude, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

DeRusha, Lena E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Dewar, Isabel A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Diamond, Mary A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Driscoll, Mary A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Eastman, Gertrude V., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Emery, Carolyn B., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

*Emery, Mary F., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Field, Leonor A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

*Fletcher, Lucy N., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Gammon, Hazel R., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Gardiner, Anna H., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Haines, Helen B., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Havens, Ella E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Hypes, Cora M. D., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Hyson, Clara M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Inglis, Flora E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Irving, Nellie M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Judd, Helen K., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Kavaljian, Pergrouhie, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Kelly, May R., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Ladd, Frances C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Lovejoy, Anne L., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

MacDonald, Christena J., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

MacLeod, Barbara E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Marr, Margaret S., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Marryatt, Eva W., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Marshall, Glee, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

* Died in Service. 



Rosters 

245 

Matheson, Margaret, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

McEwan, Hannah C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

McKay, Mary J., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Morton, Frances A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Mulville, Josephine A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Nivison, Helen T., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Olsen, Olga, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Parsons, Sara E., R. N., Chief Nurse 

A. N. C. 

Perkins, Gladys I., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Pitman, Charlotte E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Rafuse, Ella M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Reilly, Margaret G., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Ricker, Edna L., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Rodger, Mae G., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Romani, Hope F., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Robertson, Annie M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Sanborn, Laura E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Shayeb, Rosa, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Tarbox, Dorothy M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Towle, Mary, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Townsend, Alice M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Travers, Rosella, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Waldron, Eva S., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Walsh, Mary A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Wescott, Alice M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Williams, Ruth E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

ENLISTED PERSONNEL 


Addelman, Raymond W., Sergeant 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Aldrich, Duane G., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D.,U. S. A. 

Andrews, Nathan E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Averill, Gearfield S., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Averill, Howland C., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Baker, Philip E., Sergeant 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Barchard, Oliver W., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Barrow, Albert E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Bean, Stephen S., Sergeant 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Beaudet, Clement J., Cook 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Bennett, Frank T., Sergeant 

M. D., U. S. A. 


246 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Bernard, Alfred, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

*Berrie, Allyn M. C., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bertles, James E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bigelow, Bryant, Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Blake, Charles E. F., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Blazo, Elmer I., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bleiler, George C., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bolsteen, Frederick A., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bonaccorso, Samuel, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bonin, Maurice J., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Brodrick, Herbert E., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, Stephen S., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bradshaw, Harold F., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Carey, Arthur L, Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Carruthers, John A., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Carson, James S., Jr., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Case, Paul, Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Chase, Everett W., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Clancy, Joseph H., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Clark, Asa F., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Cleary, Michael J., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S.‘A. 

Coleman, Joseph E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Crane, Walter S., Jr., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Curley, Charles S., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Curry, Stowers L., Hospital Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Daly, Matthew J., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Davis, William S., Jr., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Dunn, William W., Hospital Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Dutemple, William P., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Egan, Charles T., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Egretand, Pierre, Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Ellis, Wilfred A., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Favre, Louis G., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Gaddis, Michael E., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Gardiner, George W., Private, 1st Cl. 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Gardner, Chester A., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Gent, Herbert F., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Getchell, Ashton, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U.S. A. 

Glassett, Albert E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Glynn, John, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 


* Died in Service. 


Rosters 


247 

Graham, Alonzo M., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Grant, Theodore F., Hospital Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Griffith, John H., Sergeant 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Hackett, Edward T., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Harty, Fred R., Corporal 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Hawkins, James A., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Hayes, Walter A., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Healey, Herman E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

FIewins, Malcolm F., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Howard, Clifton M., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Hunter, Albert E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Hurley, William P., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Iascone, Antonio, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Jacobi, Oscar M., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Johnson, Carl E., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Kelty, George E., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Kendall, William S., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Kennelly, Edward M., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Kent, Leo I., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Kimball, Myron W., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Knight, Perley H., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Knowles, William T., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Lane, Howard C., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Lee, William H., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Lodge, Alfred M., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Lorden, Henry G., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Lovering, Harold J., Sergeant 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Lynch, Edward F., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

MacDonald, Herbert A., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

MacNair, William J., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Mahoney, Oliver F., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Marks, Nicholas L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Marsden, George W., Private, 1st Cl. 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Mathews, Harry W., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

McEnery, Wilbur L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

McGrann, James J., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

McKenna, Walter J., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

McKie, John A., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

McMorrow, William J., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Medbery, Henry E., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 


248 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Menzies, Norman M., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

, U. S. A. 

Mills, Ernest E., Sergeant 

M. D., 

, U. S. A. 

Monahan, William C., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Morera, Mario, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Morgan, Charles J., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Murray, Jack 0., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Murray, James B., Sergeant 

M. D., 

,U. S. A. 

Noonan, Henry L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Oberg, Sten A., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D, 

U. S. A. 

O’Brien, William E., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D, 

U. S. A. 

Odell, William A., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Olson, Alvin L., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

O’Meara, Stephen M., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Osgood, Gilman, Jr., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Park, Harry L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Patterson, Charles A., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Pearson, Frederick E., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Peterson, Robert C., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Poirer, Arthur L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Pooler, Howard E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Pratt, Howard, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Presley, Fred Y., Hospital Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Putney, William H., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Reed, Robert, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Sachs, Charles, Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Schultz, Francis A. H., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Smith, Wilbur S., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Stalker, Hugh L., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Standish, Myles, Jr., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Stewart, Jesse, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Stott, James, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D, 

U. S. A. 

Sullivan, Martin L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Sullivan, William J., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Sweeney, Robert E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Taylor, Edward H., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Taylor, Francis E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Thoner, Wilfred 0., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Tripp, Chester A. R., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Vander Werken, Homer E., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Walker, James F., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 


Rosters 

Weston, Walter K., Private, 1st Cl. 
Westwell, Arthur E., Sergeant 
White, Lawrence A., Corporal 
Whitehead, Guy R., Sergeant 
Wiley, Edward D., Private, 1st Cl. 
Williams, Charles R., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 
Wilkinson, William, Sergeant 
Wilson, Cyril, Private, 1st Cl. 

Wilson, Percy A., Cook 
Wilson, Walter F., Private, 1st Cl. 
Winslow, Fred H., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 
Woodruff, Edgar F., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 
Youngs, Theodore C. H., Corporal 

DIETITIAN 

Reed, Mary E. 

SECRETARIES 

Elliott, Bertha A. 

Lee, Mary 
LeMoyne, Lodivine 
O’Gorman, Alice G. 

Pattee, Eunice H. 

Towner, Lilian B. 

UNIT O 

OFFICERS 

Allan, William, Captain 

Allen, Charles I., First Lieutenant 

Barron, Archie A., First Lieutenant 

Brenizer, Addison G., Jr., Lieutenant Colonel 

Crawford, Robert H., Captain 

Davis, James M., First Lieutenant 

Glasgow, Charles S., First Lieutenant 

Hunter, William M., Captain 

Leinbach, Robert F., Major 

Matheson, James P., Captain 

McKay, Hamilton W., Captain 

Turner, Henry G., Captain 

Wyman, Marion H., Captain 


249 

M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D, U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 


M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
San. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 


250 


Base Hospital No. 6 


NURSES 


Aldridge, Johnsie, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Allen, Anna W., R. N. 

A* N. C. 

Colson, Julia C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Downey, Rose A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Dearman, Cora L., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Harris, Sarah M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Hill, Edna M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Hill, Elizabeth, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Ihard, Ada C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Jones, Martha E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Lambeth, Lula, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Leonard, Blanche J., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Low, Sarah E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

McCoy, Harriet L., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Moore, Sue J., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Osborn, Katherine, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Shepard, Gertrude, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Stanford, Macie M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

SwEARNGAN, BeSS, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Watts, Josephine, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

White, Margaret E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 


ENLISTED PERSONNEL 


Abernethy, Thomas C., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Anderson, Paul G., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Andrews, Ezra P., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Barringer, John M., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bronson, William H., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, Charles S., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, William J., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Coldwell, Harry S., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Corpening, Eugene J., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Covington, Thomas J., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Crowell, Gordon B., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Davis, William A., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Dulong, Alfred P., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Durham, John F., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Everett, Harry L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 


Rosters 

Field, Fred M., Private, 1st Cl. 

George, Joy Foy, Sergeant 
Gibson, Mack W., Private, 1st Cl. 

Harding, Robert H., Private, 1st Cl. 

Henderson, Arthur I., Private 
Johnston, James F., Private, 1st Cl. 

King, Charles B., Jr., Private 
Knight, Joseph I., Private, 1st Cl. 

Little, Risdon T. B., Private, 1st Cl. 

Love, James F., Private, 1st Cl. 

Lynch, Norman W., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

Marvin, Oscar M., Private 
McAden, Joel J., Private, 1st Cl. 

McCrorey, John T., Cook 
McGinnis, Boyce H., Private, 1st Cl. 

Medlock, Frank H., Jr., Cook 
Miller, Raymond M., Sergeant 
Moose, J. Oscar, Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

Osborne, William M., Private, 1st Cl. 

Pharr, John B., Private, 1st Cl. 

Reilly, Alfred S., Sergeant 
Robertson, William F., Sergeant 
Sanford, Julius W., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

Swing, Thomas J., Sergeant 
Taliaferro, Thomas L., Private, 1st Cl. 

Taylor, Archibald B., Sergeant 
Taylor, Edmund D., Sergeant 
Therrel, David H., Private, 1st Cl. 

Tompkins, Daniel A., Private, 1st Cl. 

Young, Archibald L., Private, 1st Cl. 

ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL ASSIGNED 

OFFICERS 

Allison, Grady M., First Lieutenant 
Allison, Robert G., First Lieutenant 
Babcock, Warren L., Colonel 
Bacon, Arthur M., First Lieutenant 
Balch, Ralph E., Major 
Barber, Thomas M., First Lieutenant 


251 

M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D, U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D, U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 

TO DUTY 


M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C, U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 
M. C., U. S. A. 


2 5 2 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Barron, William P., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Belyea, James A., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Benedict, Franklin D., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Bowers, John W., Captain 

M. C„ 

U. S. A. 

Boyd, John G., Captain 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, Elvin 0., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Brunckhorst, Frank, Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Burnham, Henry M., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Campbell, Raymond F. W., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Craig, Cale C., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Daggett, Ralph W., Second Lieutenant 

Q. M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Darling, Frank E., Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Davison, Roland A., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Farnum, Lee V., First Lieutenant 

Inf., 

U. S. A. 

Ghoreyeb, Albert W., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Green, Thomas S., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Haigh, John E., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Hammer, Leroy A., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Hastings, Frederick S., First Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Hayes, Henry W. S., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Hendricks, Earl L., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Herbst, Bert, Captain 

Q. M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Hodgson, John S., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Jones, Andrew B., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Laughlin, James L., First Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Leir, Charles N. 0., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Leo, Carl, First Lieutenant 

Inf., 

U. S. A. 

Letton, Harry P., Captain 

E. C., 

U. S. A. 

Lippold, Paul H., First Lieutenant 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Lunt, Lawrence K., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Maffitt, Howard C., Second Lieutenant 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Maloney, John H., Captain 

D. C., 

U. S. A. 

Mason, Charles D., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

McGourty, Gerald S., First Lieutenant 

C. C., 

U. S. A. 

McMillian, William W., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Miller, Archibald L., Major 

D. C., 

U. S. A. 

Moeller, Fred W., Major 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Mohler, Bruce M., Captain 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Mook, William H., Captain 

M. C., 

U. S. A. 

Penfold, Frederick S., First Lieutenant 

C. C., 

U. S. A. 


Rosters 

253 

Pfeiffer, Roy H., First Lieutenant 

D. C., U. S. A. 

Powell, Eugene V., Captain 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Powers, James W., Captain 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Quackenboss, Alexander, Major 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Reese, James W., First Lieutenant 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Robertson, Perry C., First Lieutenant 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Schutt, Emory L., Second Lieutenant 

San. C., U. S. A. 

Scott, Homer, Major 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Sillaman, James W., First Lieutenant 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Spivy, Raymond M., Captain 

M. C.,U. S. A. 

Stanley, Robert H., Major 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Tangeman, Horace F., First Lieutenant 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Terry, Arthur H., Captain 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Thomson, William R., Captain 

M. C.,U. S. A. 

Volk, Maxwell L., First Lieutenant 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Walker, David A., Captain 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Walker, Frank J., Captain 

M. C., U. S. A. 

Wheat, Harry R., First Lieutenant 

M. C., U. S. A. 

White, Samuel A., First Lieutenant 

M. C., U. S. A. 

NURSES 

Allen, Sarah, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Althaus, Leta, R. N. 

A.N.C. 

Anderson, Lienthena H., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Aronson, Harriet E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Arnberg, Agnes C., R. N. 

A.N.C. 

Barker, Mary J., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Bausch, Alvina M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Becker, Lillian S., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Bell, Katherine, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Belt, Ann D., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Black, Anna M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Blackburn, Violetta, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Brady, Emma C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Brummer, Rose E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Burton, Pauline E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Byers, Nelle M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Cattanach, Laurie K., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Charles, Mary, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Clark, Margaret, R. N. 

A. N. C. 


254 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Cleary, Anne E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Colgen, Helen C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Connolly, Margaret A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Coulson, May, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Cummings, Addie B., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Curtis, Mae L., R. N. 

A. N.C 

Davis, Helen S., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Davis, Isabelle C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

DesJardines, Clara, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Donley, Helen F., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Donsavage, Kathryn, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Doolittle, Alice M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Downing, Helen E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Duffy, Josephine L., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Enberg, Anna W., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Erikson, Alma M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Fahnestock, Pearle M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Gallagher, Ellen T., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Green, Lena J., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Harrington, Maybelle, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Heaslip, Margaret, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Hughes, Bertha M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Hunt, Elizabeth S., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Johnson, Edith C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Johnson, Margaret G., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Johnson, Myrtle H. E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Ketels, Alvina, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Kolodzej, Julia E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Lane, Mabel W., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Larkin, Marion C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Lazear, Mary E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Lee, Clara, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Lewis, Florence M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Lifbom, Emma A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Lipeynski, Helen M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Looby, Marion L., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Macon, Grace C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Maland, Inger M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Marlin, Bertha F., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Marquardt, Alice, R. N. 

A. N. C. 


Rosters 

255 

Mathisen, Edythe, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Mayo, Adelaide A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

McCallum, Margaret, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

McDonnell, Kathryn A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

McLane, Sarah F., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

McVeety, Mae E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Mitton, Elizabeth I., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Moir, Jean R., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Morgan, Ruth G., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Morris, Elizabeth S., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Mullins, Louise B., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Peterson, Sandra E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Purdy, Minnetta F., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Raffensperger, Elida E. 

A. N. C. 

Rankin, Snow M., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Reed, Mabel, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Reinhardt, Edith S., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Steinbach, Jane B., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Stevenson, Helen A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Sweeney, Maud B., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Swenson, Svea E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Sykes, Eudora C., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Thompson, Elizabeth, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Tinner, Susan E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Titus, Blanche, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Titus, Hazel, R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Vornbrock, Ruth P., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Wenzel, Jessie E., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

Zogarts, Mary A., R. N. 

A. N. C. 

ENLISTED PERSONNEL 


Alper, Harry, Private 

Q. M. C., U. S. A. 

Andrews, Hollis, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Baker, James, Private 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Baker, Oris J., Private 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Barber, Albert E., Private 

Q. M. C., U. S. A. 

Barkly, William C., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Barndt, William C., Private 

E. R. C., U. S. A. 

Behymer, Erwin, Wagoner 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Bell, Lexis K., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., U. S. A. 


Base Hospital No. 6 


256 


Bernhard, Otto 0., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Bertelson, William B., Private 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Blevins, Pete, Horseshoer 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, Edwin C., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, Levi S., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, Mark W., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, Montress E., Sergeant 

M. T. C., 

U. S. A. 

Brown, William E., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Burklund, Richard E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Callan, Roy H., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Campbell, Homer E., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Cecil, Albert W., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Clements, Leroy C., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Cook, Benjamin A., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Cornelius, Ray H., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Crighton, Campbell M., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Cullinane, Thomas P., Wagoner 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Culpepper, James D., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Cunningham, Timothy, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Curtis, William H., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Danfield, Albert E., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Davis, Hubert G., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

De Bernardi, Louis, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

De Frang, George J., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

DeGiacomo, Frank, Private 

Inf., 

U. S. A. 

Dillion, Horace T., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Dollmaier, George L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Donaldson, Robert L., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Dorsey, Rufus U., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Douchette, Wilfred, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Drake, Donald M., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Dunavant, Elbert A., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Duncan, John N., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Duncan, Willie C., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Durham, Ira E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Eberhard, Deyo 0., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Edwards, Gail P., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Ellis, Frank, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Engel, George J., Private 

M. D., 

, U. S. A. 

Fay, Leslie J., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 


Rosters 


257 

Featherstone, Robert M., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Fehrenback, Charles F., Wagoner 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Felman, Oscar, Private 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Flannely, Thomas, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Forrand, David I., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Frost, George, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Gamble, James H., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Geden, Joseph C., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Gerheiser, August, Private 

Inf., 

U. S. A. 

Givner, Samuel, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Goodrow, William H., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Grant, William L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Hachman, Edward, Private 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Harden, Fred W., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Harding, Earl J., Sergeant 

M. T. C., 

U. S. A. 

Harmon, John M., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Harper, John L., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Harrison, Oscar F., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Hassett, Carl J., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Hastings, James W., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Hawkins, Stanley, Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Hendrix, Floyd R., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Higer, Herman, Cook 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Horigan, Cornelius, Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

House, Charles E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Inman, John, Private, 1st Cl. 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Isaacs, Dave, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Iser, Claude C., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Jaeckel, Sidney S., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Janett, Hiram G., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Jensen, Ingeman, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Jetton, Herman J., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

'^Johnson, Axel W., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Jones, Leon E., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Jovengo, John, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

,U. S. A. 

Joyner, Dennis G., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Julian, Armand, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Karales, James S., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Karlson, Erik P., Private, 1st Cl. 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Keese, Francis A., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 


* Died in Service. 


Base Hospital No. 6 


2 58 

Keller, Bernard J., Private, 1st CL 
Kesisky, Andrew J., Private 
Krings, Frank, Private, 1st Cl. 

Landers, Thomas J., Private 
Lang, Walter S., Private 
Langworthy, Clarence, Private, 1st Cl. 
Lanighan, John E., Private, 1st Cl. 
Lanze, Joseph, Private 
Launders, Herman A., Private 
Ledyard, Philip S., Private 
LeGette, Thorney, Private 
Leipold, Charles B., Sergeant 
Lewis, John L., Private 
Litten, Gile A., Private, 1st Cl. 
Longenecker, Elmer J., Private, 1st Cl. 
Loy, Marvin J., Private, 1st Cl. 
MacDonald, Archie, Private, 1st Cl. 
Mackey, John, Private 
Maher, John F., Private 
Manilla, Harry, Private, 1st Cl. 

Manore, Curtis I., Private, 1st Cl. 
Marshall, James A., Sergeant 
Marvin, Richard L., Corporal 
Masselis, Emil, Private 
Massey, Ineal J., Private 
McCafferty, Wayne, Sergeant 
McDermott, John J., Private, 1st Cl. 
McDonald, Thomas E., Private 
McDonough, Patrick, Private 
McElroy, Arthur H., Wagoner 
McFanin, John E., Private 
McGann, Frank J., Private, 1st Cl. 
McGuigon, Charles, Private, 1st Cl. 
McLeod, Edmund S., Private, 1st Cl. 
McManus, Cummins W., Private, 1st CL 
McMillan, Andrew, Private 
McMillan, Emerson C., Private, 1st CL 
McPherson, Samuel O., Sergeant, 1st CL 
Melander, Oscar M., Private 
Mendelsohn, Philip, Private, 1st CL 


M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
Inf., U. S. A. 
Q. M. C., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D, U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
Q. M. C., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 

Inf., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
Q. M. C., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 


Rosters 


Mercer, George E., Private 
Michaels, Ernest W., Private 
Miller, Clayton F., Private, 1st CL 
Miller, William F., Private, 1st Cl. 
Millwee, Venable H., Private 
Minser, Charles H., Private, 1st Cl. 
Mish, George H., Private, 1st Cl. 
Mitchell, David, Private 
Moore, Morgan E., Private 
Monroe, Milo L., Private, 1st Cl. 
Morgan, John R., Corporal 
Morrell, Guy E., Private, 1st Cl. 
Myers, Sylvan H., Corporal 
Nadeau, Albert, Private, 1st Cl. 
Nalevki, Herman, Private 
Naparsteck, Aaron, Private 
Natole, Guiseppe, Private 
Nelson, Carl V., Private 
Nelson, Einar, Private, 1st Cl. 
Neudeck, Clayton F., Private 
Nichols, William J., Private, 1st Cl. 
Noble, Fred W., Sergeant 
Norquist, Herbert B., Private, 1st Cl. 
Norton, John H., Jr., Wagoner 
Notestine, Alvin T., Wagoner 
Nyberg, Elmer E., Private, 1st Cl. 
O’Farrell, Robley E., Private, 1st Cl. 
O’Neal, Gordon A., Private, 1st Cl. 
Olson, Axel K., Private, 1st Cl. 
Olthoff, Claus, Private 
Ouderkirk, Elmer W., Private, 1st Cl. 
Oyler, Ross E., Private, 1st Cl. 

Page, William, Jr., Cook 
Parker, Harry D., Cook 
Passey, George I., Private 
Patterson, Robert D., Private 
Pattison, Henry F., Private 
Payne, Fred, Private 
Peffley, Carl F., Private, 1st Cl. 
Pelkey, Joseph C., Wagoner 


259 

M. D., U. S. A. 

Inf., U. S. A. 
M. D.,U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 

Inf., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
San. C., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M.D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D, U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D.,U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 


i6o 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Pence, David C., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Penn, Charles M., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Pennington, James C., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Peoutke, Andy J., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Perrier, Hector, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Perrine, James L., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Perry, Harry L., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Peterson, Ernest N., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Peterson, Spencer W., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Phillips, Thomas E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D, 

U. S. A. 

Philyaw, Homer C., Private, 1st Cl. 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Pickett, John, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Pierce, Austin R., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Pinchak, Morris, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Pine, George E., Sergeant 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Ponticelli, Anthony, Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Powell, Robert W., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Powers, Willis A., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Pridgen, George W., Private, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Priest, James E., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Princler, Richard W., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Provence, John, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Puarica, Wayne I., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Purcell, Michael, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Purves, Thomas, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Ratkovitz, Edwin, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Ravenstahl, John R., Private 

M.D., 

U. S. A. 

Redfield, Knowlton T., Private, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Renaud, Joseph W., Private, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Reifschneider, John C., Private, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Reynolds, William J. B., Wagoner 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Riach, Francis D., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Rice, Francisco, Sergeant, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Richard, George A., Corporal 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Richards, Hobson D., Private, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Riegle, Paul W., Private, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Riley, Joseph F., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Ritter, Thomas D., Private, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Rivard, Moses W., Private, 1st CL 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Robinson, Carter, Wagoner 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 


Rosters 


Roberts, Edgar V., Private 
Roberts, Louis R., Corporal 
Roberts, Lyman, Private 
Robinson, Ray A., Corporal 
Robinson, Walter K., Private 
Rodgers, John E., Private 
Rohen, Elmer J., Private, 1st Cl. 
Romdenne, Edward V. T., Private 
Rosand, Arthur J., Cook 
Rosenberg, David, Private 
Rouse, John P., Private, 1st Cl. 
Sandgridge, Gilbert T., Private 
Scarborough, William, Private 
Schiek, Christian J., Cook 
Schilz, George, Private, 1st Cl. 
Schirra, John M., Private, 1st Cl. 
Schnatterer, Robert J., Wagoner 
Schultz, Fred, Private 
Seamands, Melvin C., Private, 1st Cl. 
Searle, Charles E., Private 
Sears, Murrill, Private, 1st Cl. 

Sears, Nathan, Private 
Seltzer, Russell S., Private 
Sheridan, Joseph M., Private, 1st Cl. 
Shockley, John F., Private 
Shupe, John M., Private, 1st Cl. 
Skinner, Albert J., Private 
Sloane, Robert G., Private, 1st Cl. 
Slocum, Fred H., Private, 1st Cl. 
Smith, Glenn S., Private 
Smith, James T., Private, 1st Cl. 
Smith, Joseph J., Private 
Smith, Virgil C., Cook 
Soczki, Paul, Private 
Staszak, Frank, Private 
Stephans, Arthur E., Private, 1st Cl. 
Steward, Alfred H., Private 
Stivers, Ira E., Private, 1st Cl. 
Stoddard, Freeman L., Sergeant 
Stone, William T., Private, 1st Cl. 


261 

M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
Q. M. C., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U.S.A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M.D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D.,U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
San. C., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 
M. D, U. S. A. 
San. C., U. S. A. 
M. D.,U. S. A. 
M. D., U. S. A. 


262 


Base Hospital No. 6 


Stoneburner, Worth, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Streep, Charles, Private 

M. D., 

. U. S. A. 

Stremski, Albert, Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Stubbs, Thaddeus E., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Surine, James E., Cook 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Suydam, Marvin, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Swain, Sherman N., Sergeant, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Swanson, Carl A., Corporal 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Swartz, Theodore S., Private, 1st Cl. 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Szymelfenyg, Frank, Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

,U. S. A. 

Taylor, Glen A., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Thomas, Francis J., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Tilden, Ralph A., Wagoner 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Tobie, Charles T., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Traversie, Alexander, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Trudgeon, Frank, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Van Der Weele, Quinten, Wagoner 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Van Kirk, Virgil A., Private 

San. C., 

U. S. A. 

Van Schoiack, Guy, Mechanic 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Wallace, Francis G., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Walsh, Joseph A., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

West, Foster P., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

West, Thomas J., Private 

Inf., 

U. S. A. 

Wiechert, William H., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Wiersema, Richard, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Williamson, Carl J., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Wilson, Otley W., Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Wolf, Herschel, Private 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Zeiger, Lawrence A., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 

Zinn, Sim R., Private, 1st Cl. 

M. D., 

U. S. A. 


Rosters 


SPECIAL NURSES’ AIDE FOR THE BLIND 

Valva, Carmelia 


RECONSTRUCTION AIDES 
Buckmaster, Helen 
Coney, Rosamond 
Delehanty, Frances W. 

Larned, Anne M. 

McIntire, Katherine 
Noble, Isabel H. 

Polhemus, Mary B. 

Putnam, Martha 
Tremain, Emily N. 

Watt, Nellie B. 


Votey, Constance 


SECRETARY 















Qecrologp 

* 

ALLYN M. C. BERRIE 

Private ist Cl., M. D., U. S. A. 
Died in France, October 9 , 1918 

MARY F. EMERY 
R. N., A. N. C. 

Died in United States, May 1 , 1919 

LUCY N. FLETCHER 

R. N., A. N. C. 

Died in France, April 24 , 1918 

AXEL W. JOHNSON 

Sergeant, M. D., U. S. A. 

Died at sea, March 17 , 1919 































































































































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